Dangerous Liasions
by MzMocha
Summary: [Sexis] This story starts just before the time of Carly's car crash the night she found Sonny & Alexis together. The Sexis story that should have been. Friendship turns to something more, but there are some determined that their love won't survive.
1. The Candyboy Cometh

**Disclaimer: **The characters of General Hospital are owned by the Mouse and ABC Daytime. I only let them in to play with all the other people in my head.  
**Timeline:** Around the opening of Club 101…

**Chapter One  
**  
"Tell me the truth, Alexis!"

"I've been trying to do this for the past twenty minutes. Is it my fault that you refuse to listen?"

Those were the first words he heard as he stepped off the elevator. The heated words came from beyond Alexis' door. He recognized Jax's voice if not his words as he lowered his voice and frowned. Jax was always sticking his nose in where it wasn't wanted. Sonny glared at the door. He was torn between letting Alexis handle Candyboy or handling him himself. He turned abruptly.

Alexis was relieved at the sound of door opening. Maybe with Kristina here, she could get Jax to get off the subject of her and Sonny. The fact was, there was no subject of she and Sonny to begin with.

Jax was a dear, she knew he cared for her, but what she did and how she felt was nobody's business but her own. Even her charming, caring ex-husband ought to realize that by now. The fact that he'd been her husband in name only certainly didn't seem to register with him. If she didn't know better, she'd think he was having a jealous fit over the idea of her being with another man. Of course, she wasn't really _with_ another man…as much as her subconscious might like to be. All of these thoughts passed through her mind as she turned. The relief that she had started to feel died away as she saw Sonny standing in the door a sheaf of papers in one hand, a set of keys in the other.

She'd forgotten, she'd given him a set in case of emergency along with a sharp quip about how her key still stuck in the door, all due to him having blown the first lock up, which, by the way, had worked perfectly fine up until said explosion. Thank you very much.

Before Alexis could react, he was tossing the keys at her. Smoothly, her hand reached out and caught them, like she had done the time before that. And the time before that. The comfortable familiarity of the act jolted her and her eyes widened as she slewed them around to Jax. The familiarity of the act wasn't lost on him either. Sonny hadn't meant for it to be. And he wasn't done yet.

"I didn't think you were home yet;" Sonny deposited the papers on her desk before he strolled over to the coffee table and after helped himself to a handful of popcorn. "I just wanted to drop these coffee contracts off with you."

"Do you have to monopolize Alexis' every waking moment, Corinthos?" Jax snarled as he turned to face him. "There's such thing as office hours. She's not one of your beck and call girls."

"I wouldn't term it monopolizing, Jax." Sonny answered him coolly. "Our…. relationship goes much further than client-lawyer, or didn't you know that? You and her being such close friends and all."

He finished the popcorn and sauntered back across the room, past Jax to stand just behind Alexis. So close that he could sense the rhythm of her breathing. She stood with one hand resting on her desk. Sonny leaned into her, deliberately placing his hand down besides hers. Not touching exactly, but the merest wisp of breath separated his flesh from hers. "And for the record, Alexis is nobody's girl. She's a lady. And a friend."

"That's right." Alexis said, finally finding her voice again. "He's my friend, Jax. You're my friend. So can we please not get into anything tonight? Or any other night?" Normally, I'd ask forevery other night, but right now, I'm really tired, so I'll settlefor just this evening for now."

"Alexis, one of the things I love about you is your ability to see past the negative of anything, or anyone and see the positive," Jax said. "But this goes way beyond the pale. Wake up, before this…man… gets you hurt."

"Negative, positive," Sonny murmured so that only Alexis could hear his words, although Jax was all too aware that he was nearly whispering in her ear. "I must be the negative, so that makes you positive, Councilor. Why can't Jax understand that opposites attract...isn't that right?" He let his thumb move almost imperceptibly, in a feather like caress against her hand and felt her breathing hitch for a second, one breath out of rhythm with all the rest and inwardly, he grinned.

From behind, Sonny could catch a glimpse of the smooth curve of her neck, just before it disappeared into the fall of chestnut brown hair and wondered briefly, why his eye were drawn to that spot. Mentally he shook himself. Sonny raised his eyes back to meet Jax's quietly furious gaze. "I would never hurt Alexis. I would die first."

"Isn't that almost what happened already? What if the next time, you're not there to stop the hail of bullets coming Alexis' way?"

She felt Sonny stiffen in anger behind her. Before he could react, she stepped in. "Jax, you know as well as I do that the danger in my life does not all stem from Sonny and I being friends. I'm a Cassidine. We breed and eat our young. Blood ties in the Cassidine clan were and never have been nurturing experiences. Hell, being a Cassidine gives new meaning to the word regicide. They live to rule, and sometimes they kill to rule. Sometimes they just kill. Or have you conveniently forgotten that Helena has threatened my life on several occasions, whenever the whimsy struck her? Or that Chloe was a victim of one of those murderous fancies?"

A shadow crossed his face. "Of course I haven't forgotten Chloe. She's in jail now, Alexis."

Alexis shook her head. "You know better than to believe that her being behind bars makes her any less lethal. I'm just not a priority at the moment. And that could change any day."

"Alexis, you've obviously been blinded to what this man is capable of."

"No more than what I know of you and what _you're_ capable of." Alexis said significantly. She watched as Jax had the grace to flush. He could hardly make a claim to sainthood. And she knew more than most just what Jasper Jax was and had been capable of. "What I am capable of is not judging either one of you, because I know, deep down inside, that the two of you are decent, caring -- honorable within your own specific codes -- men and I'm lucky to have you both in my life."

It was a tense tableau that Kristina walked in on. She looked from one face to the other. Not really understanding what was going on, she did have enough presence of mind to get Jax out of there. Alexis shot her a gratified look as she cajoled Jax into leaving with her. The sigh of relief she let loose as the door close behind the two of them was not feigned.

"Did you enjoy that?" Alexis said. She should be angrier with Sonny. She should be angry period. But somehow, she couldn't get that spark going. Maybe it was the way he was flashing those irrepressible dimples in her direction. But she wasn't about to let him know that it was working.

In an attempt to divert herself from the magnetism in his smile, Alexis moved back to her desk and began to aimlessly shuffle through her papers. When she was sure she could keep the laughter from her voice, she spoke. "It really isn't necessary for you to feel the need to defend me from Jax. He would never hurt me. And besides, I'm a big girl. I can take care of myself."

"I never doubted that for a moment."

Alexis almost jumped. As it was, she spun around, to find Sony close. Too, too close. All thoughts of personal space went out the window.

She took a few steps away from the desk. Or more to the point, away from Sonny. He's watching her with that damned devilish grin again, dimples flashing in and out of his cheeks. He was deliberately trying to get to her. And damn him he was succeeding. In spite of herself, Alexis felt her breathing quicken, and her heart began a rapid tattoo in her chest. _Damn him how is it that he can get to me just a smile?_ As she continues to watch him, Sonny reaches up and casually unbuttons the top button of his collar. That usually innocent gesture, one she's seen a hundred times before if she's seen it once, takes on a new meaning. _Breathe, Alexis. Just remember to breathe. _She didn't know if she were more annoyed at him or herself.

Don't you take offense at the fact that Candyboy doesn't see you as a woman?"

"Candyboy, as you call him, is well aware of the fact that I'm a woman. He did marry me, remember?"

"How could you tell? I thought that was a marriage of convenience." Sonny paused as though a sudden thought had occurred to him. "Answer me this, Councilor, when you and he were married, he never made a pass at you? Not once?"

"Not once." Alexis said. She watched almost nervous as Sonny continued to advance.

"Isn't that like breach of contract?"

"It was implicit in the agreement…"

"Implicit, is that like...intimate..."

"No, implicit, unspoken yet understood."

"Ahh...that I can definitely get with. You mean like me and you…we're intimate...I mean implicit...unspoken yet understood."

"It was implicit in the agreement that the marriage was in name only."

"So the deal was "

"Not in the way you mean it." Alexis was definitely starting to lose her grip.

"And in what way is that?" That soft rumble again. God, he was almost purring as he advanced on her. Alexis got the distinct impression of being stalked, of being prey. Sonny was intent on getting something from her. Unconsciously, she watched fascinated, as his tongue crept out and moistened his lips. He was close enough so that Alexis could sense the heat of his skin, smell scent of him. The scent of cologne, brandy and power and danger that clung intoxicatingly to him like a second skin.

"Our…friendship. Isn't it unspoken…yet understood?"

Alexis felt flushed; Sonny in her personal space and making things decidedly, uncomfortably _personal_. She wondered frantically, just where exactly this conversation was heading.

"Candyboy, as you put it, is gone now, Sonny. So you can drop the act."

"Act? What act." His voice had dropped to a delicious purr. His hand strayed to his throat and unconsciously undid the top button of his shirt. . "We have some unfinished business."

"Business?" Alexis unconsciously had been backing up even as Sonny had approached her. The hard surface of her desk bumped rudely against her thighs. _Didn't anyone have manners any more? _

"Yes, I have an issue I'd like to lay on the table."

The images _that_ brought to mind. Alexis forced her thoughts away. "Just what are you getting at, Sonny?"

"I'm just wanting to clarify things between us." _What's between us is my stupid blindness and inability to see what's been right in front of me this entire time, your selfless desire to do what's best for me. You think that's Carly, but, Alexis, as smart as you are, easily the smartest woman I've ever known, you were never so wrong in your life.  
_"I never received a satisfactory answer to the question."

"What question, Sonny?" _Why did breathing have to an issue in moments like this?_

"How you feel about me. Our relationship."

"What relationship?"

"Exactly."


	2. Sister Sister

The word hung in the air between them.

"Relationship? We have a very good relationship. I think we've developed a very good working lawyer-client relationship, don't you?" With Sonny's eyes fixed on her so intently, Alexis felt herself beginning to ramble, but couldn't help herself. "Are there some complaints about something I've done that has endangered that? Because if there is a concern that I've overstepped my bounds in some areas concerning out working relationship, then I'd hope that our relationship…that of friends – would not stop you from informing me of that fact."

"Alexis…you wanna breathe now?"

But she was on a roll, now. _Stop talking, shut up Alexis…_but her mouth had a mind of it's own. "Is there a situation that I haven't been made aware of that involves the side of your business that I really don't want to be made aware of. Up to now, we've been pretty much been able to keep the two of them separate. And I'd really like to keep it that way and that way we can keep our relationships on an even keel. I mean, Consigliore is not a term I'm fond of. Not that I'm not fond of you, because you are a man who's worthy of those feelings, even while at the same time you are kind and thoughtful and endearing and sometimes possibly redeemable at times, you are also cool, and calculating and amazingly devoid of all moral sensibilities of a rational and law-abiding society whenever it suits you. And that's not the sort of relationship I have when I envision our future together."

"Alexis…" Sonny finally managed to interrupt. "Our future? Together?"

She blushed as the implications of what she had just said impacted on her. "I..I...just meant that…"

"I think it's sweet, Councilor." Sonny said. "I mean, I'm glad that you're fond of me, and find me endearing and even redeemable."

Said councilor groaned inwardly as she recognized the devilish light in his eyes and the amusement in his voice. She turned away from him and began to go through the folders of papers on her desk, but she was startled when all of a sudden, Sonny's hands were taking the papers from her hands, then he was turning her to face him again, hands on either side of the desk, effectively trapping her so that she couldn't bolt and run. Option one, gone. Option two…breathing. That would be nice and a definite necessity in the long run.

Since the first betrayal of her heart against her mind, Alexis had managed to reach a place where she could armor herself against Sonny's presence, even though the woman in her could no longer resist the man practically holding her in h is arms. Her treacherous heart could still be armored and so he had little hint of the turmoil going on behind her own puzzled gaze. He didn't know how her senses swam at scent of him, how her knees threatened to weakened from the almost-pressure and the almost animal heat of his body so close to hers, and of course, he had no clue to how she found herself so willing to drown herself in the twin dark brown eyes of his gaze.

They were face to face, so close that Alexis could see deep into his eyes, and beyond the amusement, there was something serious lurking there in his dark gaze. Something that made her heart skip a beat out of rhythm and made her seriously contemplate the need for an oxygen tank as his next words left her breathless.

"As a matter of fact," he said. "I've been imagining the future with you as well."

A small sound came from behind them and then Kristina was standing in the doorway, looking decidedly uncomfortable at the sight of the two of them in a decidedly compromising position. There they were, Alexis pinned by Sonny's body against the desk, the two of them very, very close. In more than the emotional sense. And Sonny showing no sign of moving. In fact, he hadn't even so much as turned his head at the sound of Kristina's voice. His entire attention remained focused wholly on Alexis. Alexis didn't know whether to be grateful or exasperated or terrified. Or all of the above.

"I'm sorry.." Kristina came in. She very carefully kept her eyes from touching either Sonny or Alexis. "I didn't mean to – interrupt. I hope you two have finished whatever the two of you were doing." She gulped visibly as the implications of what she'd said came to her.

Before Alexis could react, Sonny's cell phone began to shrill from his inner jacket pocket. His expression changed slightly, and with a regretful shrug, he moved away. "Yeah? Benny…" he moved away from the two women to take the call in private.

Alexis couldn't meet her younger sister's eyes, which now were burning bright with curiosity. Talk about your lady and the tiger scenario…behind door number one was Kristina and her unavoidable, inevitable barrage of questions. Door number two...well that would be Sonny. And she had the feeling that there too were questions there that she couldn't answer. Without trying to, she heard snatches of Sonny's voice as he spoke on the phone. Did she hear the name Carly? Her heart fell just a little bit more.

Sonny ended his phone call. He walked over to Alexis and she wasn't sure, but she thought she saw something very close to regret in his eyes. He tilted his head and smiled briefly in that little-boy way she'd come to know so well and somehow managed to find so endearing. His tone was apologetic. " I got…stuff I gotta take care of."

"It's okay Sonny," Alexis said, aware of the rush of relief that poured through her at his announcement. "As long as everything between you and I are fine?"

He only looked at her with one of his enigmatic looks again, but didn't answer her question. "We'll pick this conversation up at another time." Sonny turned, and nodding once to Kristina, left them.

Alexis turned her attention back to her desk, picking up a folder and sightlessly flipping through the papers there as she willed her heart to return to normal. When was she going to get past this absolutely ridiculous crush on Sonny Corinthos? The sooner, the better for the both of them. She could get back to the playful back and forth teasing they'd always had since their friendship had first begun to grow, and Sonny, well, he could admit what was in his deepest heart and go back to Carly, and she could be happy for him that he was happy.

In a sudden fit of rage, Alexis slapped the folder down on the desk. At the same time, she suddenly became aware of Kristina calling her name.

"Alexis…Alexis? _Alexis!_"

"What?" Alexis snapped the word out harsher than she'd meant to.

"I just wanted to apologize for barging in on you and Sonny…it looked like I was interrupting a very intimate moment between you two. Not that it isn't about time."

Alexis moved away from the desk and walked into the living room. She threw herself down on the couch. "There was no intimate moment, Kristina. He is my client, and I am his lawyer. And his friend."

Kristina followed . "Who happens to be in love with him. And I wouldn't be too sure that Sonny doesn't feel anything for you at all, either. I heard what he said to you…about imagining a future with you…"

"You were eavesdropping on us?" Alexis fixed her own dark gaze on Kristina, her eyes hardening in spite of herself. Old habits die hard, and Alexis was too used to guarding her privacy not to react.

"I came back from walking Jax back to his car. The door wasn't quite closed, and I heard the two of you talking…and I was waiting for an opportune moment to come back into the apartment. I wasn't listening in on purpose."

"Of course, you weren't." Alexis sighed and lowered her head into her hands. "Let me explain something to you. Sonny is my friend, yes. But he is also my client. I am his lawyer. In his words, the best lawyer he's ever had. He may pay me an exorbitant amount of money for being that, but I'm worth every dime of it. It's in his best interests to consider a long term plan and a future together."

"But Sonny is more than a friend to you, isn't he? How can you be sure that's all he means? Why is so outside the realm of possibility that he has feelings for you too…just like you have feelings for him?" Kristina wouldn't let up. It was so obvious that the both of them were way past friendship. If only the two of them weren't being so dense and stubborn about it. They were so much alike it was scary. So used to being in control, that both of them were too afraid, too guarded to let those last shield around them down….and so they danced around each other likes moths around a flame.

This had been one of those times when Sonny had gotten through her carefully erected shields. How did he do it, she wondered to herself for the umpteenth time. Sonny could go from charming and smooth to bone chilling ruthless mob-man and then to almost-little boy tender and all points in-between, sometimes with such blinding speed, that it shook her equilibrium and left her emotions floundering, with no anchor to hook onto. This time, it left her emotions dangerously close to the surface. The last thing she needed was Kristina pushing at her.

"I don't have those feelings for him!" Alexis answered her.

"Maybe not, but that's just because you won't allow yourself to." Kristina came right back. "When I'm in the room with the two of you, my God, I can feel thetemperature rise and the auras heat."

"Kristina, leave it alone." Alexis said. She stood and began to pace the length of the room. "If I had these feelings, and I'm not admitting that I am – this is a conjecture on a hypothetical situation at best. – then they would be my feelings, and my choices, and I wouldn't appreciate you butting into them." She'd heard her self sounding angrier and angrier as she talked. Alexis made a visible effort to lower her voice. "Even though, I'd be very much aware that you were doing it out a very good and decent place in your heart."

"I just want you happy, Alexis. If this is the man that makes you happy, then I want you with him. You deserve the all the love that he can give you, all that he can lay at your feet. You showed me your heart from the first moment that we first laid eyes on each other. And I've come to know that you deserve to be worshipped as the wonderful, warm woman that I've come to know and love. I know how much love you're capable of giving, of accepting. Of how much your heart has had to bear, and how hard you try to protect it. Don't do this to yourself. Life has hurt you too much, love has hurt you too much…this time, just let it be…let it out…let it free…"

_Wouldn't that clear your way to Ned? _Alexis thought in an errant spurt of rage and was instantly ashamed of herself. She and Ned had been over long ago, probably even from the day that she'd run away from him on their wedding day that never was. Her heart beat in her chest painfully, and to her own horror, she felt the tears welling up in her eyes. When had it begun to hurt so much? Is this was what heartache felt like? She thought she'd known what it was when she and Ned had parted and she'd known that this time, it had been for the last time. But there was a bittersweet touch to that parting. A fond farewell to all the sweet memories and moments they'd shared together. But now, with all that she felt for Sonny, and never being ever to express it, to show it. To be his friend only…and to know that his heart still belonged to Carly, no matter how much he said it didn't, it had the power to hurt. She walked to window and stared out into the growing darkness. There was a storm coming...she could see it there on the horizon

"Let it out? Let it free?" Alexis' voice thickened with her unspoken emotions. "Let it out, that I'm in love with Michael "Sonny" Corinthos, resident mob-boss of the city of Port Charles? Fine…I love him."

She paused and took a shaky breath and repeated herself, her voice gone breathy with a mix of wonder and pain.  
"I love Sonny."

She turned away from the encroaching night and faced Kristina.  
"Happy?" All the sadness in the world was there in that single word as a single tear traced its way down her cheek.  
"You've won. Feel better now?"

Kristina didn't feel better at all.


	3. Stormclouds And Conversations

**CHAPTER THREE  
  
**

Was this her third Stolichnaya or fourth? It didn't matter, Alexis thought as she reached for the next shot of iced Russian vodka. After her outburst at the penthouse, Alexis had stormed out with no idea of where she was going, only knowing that she couldn't stay there another moment longer.   
The promised storm had reached the city, and outside the rain was coming down in torrents. Earlier, Alexis had found herself driving almost on auto-pilot to her office. She parked her car in her reserved parking space in the indoor garage, but then a sudden whim sent her back out into the street from a back alley exit just as the first growls of thunder rumbled over the city.   
"Just drive." She'd muttered at the taxi driver that answered her hail. That and the fifty she'd shoved at him got her gone in a heartbeat. She chanced a look back through the rear view window, and was relieved not to have seen anyone looking like they were following. With luck, by the time any of Sonny's men caught up to her, all they'll see is her car parked and would assume she'd decided to work late at the office. One of her standing orders was that the guards could be there, but not too close. They wouldn't invade her office unless Sonny ordered it. It had been one of the requirements she'd made when she had "accepted" Sonny's guards. Not that she wasn't glad for them most of the time, she was no fool. But tonight, she just didn't care.   
The fact that there was no one behind her irritated her at the same time she was relieved. That figures, she thought. He has no use for me at the moment, so he assumes that I'll stay put in that damn*d penthouse, awaiting his heavenly call. The split emotions only caused her mood to sour by the moment. The rain was getting heavier and as the cabbie passed it by, on the spur of the moment, Alexis had decided on the bar at the Grille. It was plush enough, comfortable enough and she was tired of riding around trying to find places where she wouldn't run into anyone. To hell with all of them.

"To hell with all of them." Alexis hoisted the shot glass in a toast to herself. She remembered a favorite curse of Helena's and paraphrased it, murmuring the Greek aloud. "To the seventh circle of the seventh circle of hell I consign thee…everyone who wants to tell me what I feel and what I shouldn't feels, as if my feelings shwere anybody's business but my own." _Shwere?_ Alexis' lips twitched as she fought a grin from spreading across her face. The vodka was definitely starting to work, she noted with satisfaction.  
Deep throated rumbles of thunder filled the air, muted beyond the walls of the hotel and she was glad again to be inside away from the storm. The Grille was as good as place as any to park it. Or so she had thought until she saw Jax at a table at the far end of the room. And to top off a perfect moment, he was just finishing up dinner with Ned. 

Alexis deliberately turned away from the sight; she raised the tiny glass upwards, once more. A bittersweet smile crossed her face. _To the Four Musketeers._ That was what she and Ned and Jax and Chloe had been. Everything was changed now. Chloe was gone, and so was any trace of she and Ned. Just as dead and buried as Chloe was. Why did things have to change? She was happy, or at least she'd thought so, she'd been _safe._ That was what she wanted more than anything else. And now?  
The storm outside wasn't the only one brewing. Her confrontation with Kristina had only pushed her own inner storm to the surface. A part of her knew that she'd end up apologizing to her little sister. Sonny Corinthos. Michael Corinthos Jr. Mobster. Racketeer. Best friend. And the object of her heart's desire. Well, maybe not her heart's but parts' desire – definitely. Definitely some points south of her heart were making their wants known. And if she kept on thinking about him, those eyes, that voice, the deep dark mind that somehow meshed with so many points in her own…

With a shake of her head, Alexis downed the iced drink in a sudden movement, savoring the sharp yet smooth jolt as it seared its way downward, banishing the cold inside her and replace it with a suffused glow. She beckoned to the bartender, motioning with her fingers to serve up another.   
 "The next round is on me."

Alexis half turned in her seat to see Jax standing there. As the next drinks arrived, he slipped onto the stool next to hers.   
 "Hello, Jasper Jacks…how _is_ my favorite ex-husband this evening?"  
 "Just fine, Alexis, but it doesn't look like my favorite ex-wife is feeling all that well." 

"Oh, don't frown." Alexis lifted an imperious brow at him. "Actually, at the moment, I'm feeling no pain." Not the absolute truth, but then, she wasn't on the stand, was she?

"You will tomorrow." The drinks arrived and Jax watched as Alexis neatly disposed of hers in a single swallow.  
 "Let tomorrow take care of itself." Alexis declared. "Tonight…well, tonight…I take care of me a little…"   
 "This is not taking care of yourself, Alexis." Jax said. "This is the exact opposite. And I know who's to blame for this."   
 "Jax…" her voice was a warning; the same warning snapped in her eyes. Then she smiled sweetly. Sort of.  "Since you're involved with both the blonde self-detonator –she's certifiable, you know – I've seen the paperwork -- and the Chandler-Quartermaine protégé  who has her own unique set of issues that I don't wanna even begin to get into – she walks, she talks ..very loudly most of the time, I must add -- and there she is, walking around  with her very own self-destruct button that by your own account, you're just itching to push, you're hardly the one to speak on my love life…or lack thereof."  
 "I'm not involved with either of them, except on a professional level."  
 "Same here, Jaxxy. So you lay offa my love life, and I'll do the same for you…quid pro quo, as it were."  
 "Alexis." Jax held up a hand in a gesture of peace. "I won't pry if you don't want me to. Not tonight, at any rate. You know I'm only saying anything because I care. You're too important to me not to. So, what is it now? Anything you _can_ talk about?"

Alexis unbent a little. "Kristina...I love her…I really do, but she insists on encroaching into my private life where I really don't want her… I just can't deal with her there."

The memories of their earlier conversation hadn't been far from Jax's mind from the moment Kristina had all but dragged him out of Alexis' penthouse. They'd emerged full force again as soon as he'd seen Alexis enter the Grille. For obvious reasons, Ned had wanted no part of the scene and had left the restaurant as soon as possible, but Jax couldn't help but keep an eye on Alexis as she settled back and began what was obviously going to be a steady intake of alcohol. Jax studied her carefully, now. He knew his ex-wife better than she might think. "Do you want to tell me about what Kristina said that sent you out of your own apartment and out into this storm?" When she didn't answer immediately, he knew the answer. "Corinthos. She knows about you and Corinthos."

 Alexis ordered another drink. Another shot followed its brethren; Alexis cracked the shot glass down on the bar. This time when the bartender made to walk away, she grasped his wrist and firmly took the bottle out of his hand.   
Jax sighed. "Put it on my tab."

Alexis waited until the waiter was out of earshot before she spoke again. "There is no me and Corinthos." She pointed a finger at him unsteadily. "Sonny is my friend. You are my friend. The both of you mean the world to me. But you know what?  Sonny doesn't hold me to his standards and neither does he expect me to make his standards my own. Something _you_ tend to do. A sometimes endearing, but thoroughly irritating habit of yours."  
"That's because he doesn't have any standards of his own to hold you to. You're so above him, Alexis. Why can't you see this?"

"Far above him? How is that? Because I'm descended from semi-royal Greek and Russian blood? Let's not forget that we Cassidines are a clan full of megalomaniacs and despots who make Sonny Corinthos look like a decorated Eagle Scout, shall we? Ohhh...yes, I am so far above him. He wants to rule Port Charles, we Cassidines wanted to rule the world. Maybe Sonny's just not ambitious enough." Another shot followed the previous ones.  "Is not wanting to take over the world a character flaw?"

"Alexis, you're drunk."

"No, I'm not. But it's an option I'm seriously considering."   
"Is this what Corinthos has driven you to?" Jax's blue eyes were icy in rekindling anger.

"No, this is what Kristina and her questions and her pushing and her prodding and Ned with his judgments and you and your accusations and your well meaning intentions and the whole of Port Charles with their all-knowing omniscient opinions of what's good or bad concerning my life have done." Alexis said. A skein of Cassidine steel interwove itself into her voice as her eyes narrowed in anger. Then they closed and Jax watched silently while she visibly fought for control. "I'm not in the mood for this. I'm really not, Jax. Leave it alone. Please."

"All right, Alexis. I'll back off – for now." Jax capitulated. Despite all her brave and caustic words, he could see the thin crystalline sheen of unshed tears in those beautiful brown eyes. If pushed, he knew what she'd do. She'd run. And the last thing he wanted was to send Alexis fleeing from him out into the storm. "I just don't want to see you hurt."

"Sonny won't hurt me, Jax." Her eyes dropped from his as she lowered her head.

Jax reached over and placing his fingers gently under her chin, raised her eyes to meet his. "I think he already has."  
  



	4. Revelations

CHAPTER FOUR  
  
Sonny woke up in the morning, after a long and sleepless night. The storm outside that night and mirrored the one he fought in his dreams. But with the first rays of the morning light, his demons had disappeared. Until the next time the darkness came to try and claim him..  
  
But today, this day, they were gone and Sonny banished the last vestiges of them away as he showered and dressed himself. He was all in blues today. Rich, deep cobalt blue slacks and a shirt only a shade lighter. He'd decided that he would have breakfast with Alexis. Well, for her, breakfast meant coffee, but since her brewings couldn't rightly even be call coffee, Alexis had become, she admitted, somewhat spoiled to his special kona blend.  
  
  
  
He hadn't wanted to intrude on Alexis' evening the night before. Sonny realized that he'd been leaning on her too much lately and she'd been there for him, each and every time he'd needed her, being the one person in the world to allow it. So this one time, he'd decided to fight the demons on his own this time. Alexis had a life beyond his, it was time he left her alone to do it. He wondered why he felt a little emptier for the thought.  
  
Thirty minutes later, coffee fresh ground and brewed, he headed across the hallway with a carafe. He knocked.  
  
No answer. Sonny knocked again, a little louder.  
  
  
  
The elevator door slid open and Kristina stepped out, attired in running sweats.  
  
"Where's Alexis?"  
  
"I don't know.not here." Kristina said shortly as she brushed past him and unlocked the door. She didn't go in, but instead, turned to face him, back against the closed door.  
  
"Are you sure she isn't sick or anything?"  
  
  
  
"I wouldn't know if she's sick - or anything -- because she left out of here last night and never came home."  
  
  
  
"Why, didn't you tell me this when it happened?" Sonny went straight into protective mode without thinking. He turned to his bodyguard. "Max, I want Ms. Davis located. ASAP. Call me as soon as you hear anything." As Max began to make the phone calls to get the search underway, he looked back at Kristina. This time, she couldn't detect any concern or gentleness in his gaze.  
  
"I don't think there's anything to worry about, as far as her being in any danger or anything." Kristina said, suddenly nervous. When Sonny focused those eyes on you, the truth came out whether you wanted it to or not. For the first time, she felt the power Sonny Corinthos exuded without even trying. Without Alexis there as a buffer, it was almost frightening. Her heart began a slow thudding in her chest and she swallowed uneasily, realizing that she wouldn't want to be his enemy under any circumstances.  
  
"Then it's something else? Who..." his eyes narrowed as he studied her. "What did you do?"  
  
  
  
Nerves stretched tight after a long, sleepless and remorseful night, Kristina let loose the first thought that came into her head. "Me? Why should it be me who's done anything? You're the one who did it!"  
  
  
  
Sonny stared at her uncomprehending. Her next words rang in his ears with all the force of an atom bomb.  
  
  
  
"You made my sister fall in love with you!"  
  
***  
  
Jax smiled to see Alexis enter the hotel dining room, a pair of very wide and dark sunglasses perched on her nose. She lifted them briefly, then spotting, him, made her way carefully across the room. He was looking disgustingly well, she thought as she slid into the chair opposite him. Two cups sat on the table, a delectable steam rising from them both.  
  
  
  
"We could have ordered room service." He reminded her again as she sat down. Jax had arranged for Alexis to stay in the suite next to his. It was the only way to get her upstairs and into a bed. He'd also sat with her until she'd fallen asleep.  
  
"Why delay the inevitable?" Alexis said carefully. She reached for the cup and took a sip. Followed by a shudder. Alexis made a face. "What is this?"  
  
"Oolong Green tea," Jax told her. "A caffeine-free antioxidant and much more beneficial for you than coffee."  
  
  
  
"It smells much better than it tastes." Alexis set the cup back in its saucer and eyed it distrustfully. "I like my caffeine, Jax. I need my caffeine."  
  
  
  
"One more thing that isn't good for you." Seeing the apprehensive look she shot him, Jax wisely changed the subject. "You know the opening of my club is this week."  
  
  
  
"You mean Carly's club, don't you?"  
  
  
  
"We're partners, you know that. My point is, I want you - and Kristina -- to come to the opening as my guests. What are you going to do? Wait until Sonny asks you? Well, just so you know, Carly is planning to ask him as her special guest. I doubt if you'll want to make an appearance alone under those circumstances."  
  
"What makes you think that I want to make an appearance at Carly's club, of all places, under any circumstances?" Alexis had removed the sunglasses, signaled to a waiter and was replacing the green tea with a cup of coffee. She sipped and sighed. Not the best, but it would do. The beans were at least a day old. She debated with the thought of sending it back and demanding a fresher brew, but then decided against it. Hmm...maybe she was getting spoiled by Sonny's freshly ground morning brews. She wondered if he had brought over a cup or two of his private blend this morning, then shook her head, forcing herself to dismiss the mobster from her mind. Alexis winced as the effort set her head to pounding. "She won't thank you for inviting me, you know that."  
  
  
  
"She'll just have to deal with it." Jax grinned at her. "Tell me the idea of getting to Carly isn't appealing in the least little bit?"  
  
"Jax" She tried to sound stern, but it wasn't working. There was a certain appeal to the idea, after all.  
  
  
  
"Then it's settled. I'll send a car for you and Kristina. A private table, champagne - or vodka if you prefer" A semi-wicked smirk graced his face for a nanosecond. Alexis lightly slapped at him and laughed, for which he was gratified and continued. " -- the works. After all, it's not like you and Kristina have even celebrated the fact that you two have found each other. Say you'll come?"  
  
  
  
"I refuse to commit myself to anything this early in the morning, but I will take it under advisement."  
  
"Fair enough. Shall we order breakfast?" Jax beckoned to a nearby waiter.  
  
"Only if I order for myself."  
  
  
  
"Don't you trust me, Alexis?"  
  
"With my life. Just not my breakfast." 


	5. Flashback and FastForwards

**CHAPTER FIVE**

By morning, it was still raining, though the worst of the storm had passed. Sonny had his answers soon enough. Alexis had gone to her office building, but from there, she'd ended up at the Port Charles Hotel. Those answers were easy to come by. The most important one wasn't. As Johnny drove him to the hotel, Kristina's words played themselves over and over in his mind.   
   
**  
_Flashback: The night before…  
_  
 "You made my sister fall in love you!"   
  
"What are you talking about, Kristina?" he had said, his voice low and hard. Sonny hadn't meant to scare her, but her words had shocked him.  His expression never changed as he saw her face go pale. Kristina had never seen the side of him that was all "business," had never seen the side that gave his name the fear and the respect that it had.  But she was Alexis' sister. Scared or not, she stood her ground, eyes blazing defiantly into his. Alexis? In love with him? The knowledge had burst into his mind with all the force of a bolt of lightning. But this was Kristina…New Age, feng shui shooey something or other…whatever the hell that was, the influences of Pluto – not the dog – in the seventh house- or sixth or whatever -- reading Kristina. More than likely this was one of her way out there ideas…Alexis couldn't possibly be in love with him… and she was reading more into their friendship than what was really there….right?  
  
She hadn't answered him. Sonny's voice raised itself almost to a shout. "Explain yourself…now!"  
  


"You are so selfish, so absorbed in yourself, that you can't see what's right in front of your eyes." She shot back. "What did you think would happen? You spend all of your spare time with her….you make her feel special …that you need her….My sister is a woman…what else did you think would happen? My sister is..is…" her eyes widened as she realized what she had said. Kristina began shaking her head. "Look, I had a long and sleepless night, worrying about where Alexis has been. I spoke without thinking and I…I have no idea what I'm talking about. Forget it Sonny, just forget it…" Before he could react or respond, she'd opened the door and slipped inside.  
  
Sonny was left staring at a closed door.   
  
Forget about it. As if he could.  
  


**  
  
And so here he was, headed for the Port Charles hotel and her words were still in his head. Unconsciously, he shook his head. The fact of the matter was, it had nothing to do with him. Kristina had driven Alexis out of the penthouse with her pushy ways. She was a nice enough kid, but she could be _intense._ And that would be putting it mildly. So Alexis ditched baby sis, headed out to the Grille for some relief and got caught there by the storm. She probably just took a room, instead of taking a chance driving home in a storm. That was Alexis, always thinking, always making the right choices. Very little took his lawyer by surprise. She was worth every penny of the big bucks he paid her.   
  
Sonny shook his head; Kristina couldn't be right. He would have seen it, would have sensed it, would have known something, somehow… Sonny walked into the lobby of the hotel, his mind spinning in a thousand different directions as he paused in the dining room of the Grille's doorway to slip his trench coat off. Out of long habit, his eyes slid around the room registering the room's layout and faces. Sonny froze.  Alexis and Jax were just rising from a table, the remains of breakfast plain to see. Sonny stepped back a little, suddenly, not knowing why, but just knowing that he didn't want to be seen.   
  
What he didn't know was that Jax had already spotted him.  
  


Sonny watched, unmoving and disbelieving, while Jax moved behind Alexis and helped her into her overcoat. The blood rushed into his face and an unfamiliar, unnamable emotion surged through him as he watched Jax's hands linger on Alexis' shoulders. He didn't even notice when his jaw clenched and the blood rushed into his face.

Jax was all too aware of Sonny eyes on them. He slipped Alexis' coat over her shoulder and deliberately let his hands rest on her shoulders a little longer than necessary. Alexis turned to look up at him questioningly.   
  
"About last night," he began. " you've danced around that conversation all through the meal."   
  
Alexis placed gentle fingers against his lips. "There's nothing to talk about. Except for my saying thank you for taking such good care of me."

  
Several people exiting the restaurant made a point of steering clear of the man standing to once side of the entrance. Sonny was totally unaware that his eyes had narrowed in anger or that he was glaring at the couple as Alexis smiled up at her ex-husband. His hands clenched as she touched Jax's mouth tenderly with soft fingertips.

  
"I won't bring up the subject about last night unless you want to talk about it, but I just wanted you to know that I'm here for you, whenever you need me." Before she could answer, Jax slipped one hand under her chin, and tilted her face towards his. He bent down and gently brushed his lips against hers. "I'd do anything to keep you safe. Even if you weren't my favorite ex-wife." She couldn't know that he meant that on more levels than she knew. "Forgive me?"  
  
 Alexis was puzzled at this show of affection, but allowed Jax to kiss her softly. Instinctively, one hand came up to caress his cheek. "And you're still my favorite ex-husband. Of course I forgive you. I always will." She reached for her purse. "But I have to get home, get changed and get to my office. So, as lovely as this little interlude was, it's time for me to get moving." Alexis smiled at him as she began to walk away then turned and playfully blew him a kiss. "Thank you for being there, Jax."  
  


That was more than enough for Sonny. Without knowing how he got there, he found himself back on the street, heading for his car, totally oblivious to the chilling rain that had intensified. He was all too aware of the chill inside of him, treacherously close to his heart, even if  he didn't recognize the reason why. That it was there, was enough.  
  
"Drive." He growled at Johnny as he threw himself into the back seat. A red rage hazed his vision. The sight of her and Jax together was seared into his mind. The rational part of his mind tried to tell him that it wasn't surprising. Alexis was a woman; a beautiful woman. He couldn't expect her not to have any man who knew her to not be attracted to her. _Just not him, not the unwonder from down under,_ he told himself. Jax was the last man on earth that deserved Alexis in his life.   
  
***  


By nightfall, the rain had intensified again. It gave the citizens of Port Charles the sense of being cocooned away, each of them in their own little worlds. So people settled down, for the most part content and secure, safe and insulated away from the storm rumbling overhead.   
  
That same sense of being locked away from the rest of the world was very much the mood in Penthouse Two. Despite the late hour, Alexis and Sonny were there, comfortably relaxed on his couch, coming towards the end of one of their regular evenings sessions. But it was anything but regular for either of them. It wasn't that Sonny was spoiled and demanding in wanting to have most of the majority of  their business evenings at his place, it was just that, as he explained to Alexis' many protests, he had everything on hand required to create a decent meal. Although to call one of Sonny's creations merely decent was to do them a severe injustice, Alexis insisted. His answer to that was that man – or woman - did not live on popcorn alone;  
  


Sonny's thoughts couldn't stay entirely on work. His thoughts revolved around Jax. What he did think, was that it was just that Candyboy – and that name was coming more and more easily to mind every time he thought about him – Candyboy would do anything to get Alexis away from him. And her leaning on him would be a bonus. But if Sonny leaned back on the Aussie, Alexis wouldn't like that. And the last thing he wanted right now was Alexis seeing him when he was not his nicest. _Why was that? _He wondered.

  
Despite both his common sense and better judgment, he'd spent the evening replaying Kristina's words in his mind, and now it was like his whole being was tuned into Alexis, like he was "aware" of her now in a hundred little ways. He found himself weighing every word that came out of her mouth. Things like the texture of her voice when she spoke to him. Or the rich sienna sheen of her hair and how the highlighted strands around her face caught the light and framed her expressively large brown eyes or how often her tongue licked the soft contours of her lips as she concentrated on the work before her.  
  
Alexis tried to focus on the set of papers in her hands, realizing that she'd just read one particular clause three times without comprehending a word of it. Unfortunately, all of her senses were concentrated on the man next to her on the couch and as hard as she tried for them not to be, her treacherous thoughts kept going back there. Without looking at him, she was all too aware of him, from the unbuttoned "vee" of his shirt, to the stray ebon curl that fell over one brow as it always did when the hour was late and his hair escaped the control that he imposed on it at the beginning of each day. She could catch the faintest hint of his scent, a heady mix of cloves, brandy and coffee. Rich, dark and invigorating, the scent brought to mind his eyes. Deep, ombred brown, intense even while he studied the paperwork in his hand, focused on her when he looked up to ask the occasional question. That gaze that she would happily drown herself in. Alexis sighed and started re-reading the clause for the fourth time.  
  
Sonny watched her as she leafed through what looked like the endless reams of papers, the debris and detritus of a full evening's work strewn all around them.   
The hour was getting very late. He listened to her voice with three-quarters of himself, the other percentage silently calculating, feeding certain data into his mind. The length of time her eyes met his, how many times she watched him when she thought he wasn't looking. And the delectable way her teeth worried at her lower lip as she worked her considerable legal talents on his behalf. Seeing the whole of certain things, as though these were for the first time. And maybe, they were. Meanwhile his mind raced on remembering how he'd never _really_ noticed before the way Alexis had of focusing on him, the way she really heard him, listened to his halting attempts to express his feelings fully; something he'd never been able to do before with anyone. Not like this. The way she put her own feelings aside, to be anything, no _everything_ he needed. Sonny was bombarded by an avalanche of newly unearthed memories. But the leap from these memories to Kristina's so-called revelation was hard. 

  
Kristina tended to be way out there in terms of how she looked at the world. But what if she were right? If she was, then Alexis was hiding it well. But what else could he expect? A smile rounded his richly curved lips. Alexis could stonewall with the best of them. He knew that not only from personal past experience but also from watching Alexis in action. _That's my girl he thought to himself. _

  
Sonny made a decision. He sat back on the couch and stretched elaborately. "Break time." He announced, standing and stretching. He walked over to the bar and poured himself a brandy. Sonny turned and shot her a smile, dimples flashing into view. "Join me?"  
  
_Did she not have enough alcohol the night before?_  Alexis thought as she met his eyes…it was the dimples. Those damned dimples did it to her every time. Alexis heard her lips form the words "I'll have one." She amended that. After all, it was Friday; tomorrow she could sleep in. "A small one." _That's it. I am now incontrovertibly certifiable. Jax was right. The man has driven me to drink._  
  


As he poured a second snifter, Sonny spoke without turning, his next words were deceptively laid-back. "Couldn't reach you last night."  
  


 "I wasn't aware that I was now on-call 24-7." Sonny said nothing casually, she knew that. This was clearly his idea of a round-about way of fishing for information concerning what her whereabouts the night before. She fought the impulse to smile. God forbid that he not know everything every time, Mr. Control Freak. He just wanted to know where she had spent last night, since he obviously knew that she hadn't spent it at home. But there was no way she was going to let Sonny know that she had fled her own apartment because she couldn't deal with the feelings she had for him. Last night's binge had gone a long way in helping her deal with this somewhat unsavory, certainly disreputable, yet positively, absolutely demeaning crush. She was sure that she'd managed to put everything in its proper perspective. Of course, Sonny's next words blew that theory all to hell.  
  
He didn't deign to answer her comment, simply sat back down, handing Alexis the glass. "Councilor, I got a question?"  She was just in the process of swallowing when it came. "How would someone get next to you? You know, like a guy?"   
  
Alexis choked. Brandy spewed. Major coughing ensued. Breath was lost yet again.   
  
Sonny slid closer and pounded her on the back enthusiastically, all the while grinning inwardly. When her eyes had stopped watering, Alexis was looking at him as though he'd grown a second head. But he didn't stop there. "Now that I'm single, I need to know these things. I mean, if some guy were to make a move on you, what would be the thing that would make you -- open-- to their advances? Something that wouldn't result in a lawsuit, of course."  
  
 "I wasn't aware that you have trouble meeting women." Alexis finally managed to regain her voice. The look in her eyes said that she clearly thought that he had lost his mind.

"I don't." Sonny replied with his customary male arrogance. "Maybe, I'm trying to raise my standards a little. I just wanted a woman's personal point of view.  Especially a woman like you. So come on, spill. Do you prefer the direct approach— as in laying…" Here Sonny paused deliberately, sending the heat crawl up into Alexis' cheeks  "…your cards…on the table. Or is a slow and subtle advance more to your liking?"__

  
 "You want to know what allows me to become – interested in a certain kind of man?"   
  
 "Yeah, Alexis; what kind of man does it for you? Smart, brainy? Silk shirts - blue jeans? International jet setter, down home country boy or savvy street smart businessman….or how about bad boys?" Sonny said, looking dead into her eyes. Without his eyes ever moving, Alexis was all too aware of the trip he mentally took down the length of her body and back. Punched the ticket from beginning to end and booked a round trip. "Basically, what turns you on?"


	6. Firelight

"Romantically, I mean." Sonny continued, pretending not to notice Alexis' deer-in-the-headlights expression.   
  
Alexis looked at him, at a loss for words, among other things. The look in her eyes said stunned. His eyes, however, were dancing in delight. "_Gotcha"_ they were saying. He really needed to work on his sense of humor. Alexis wondered briefly, what _did_ mobsters find humorous? 

  
Oh yea, his eyes were definitely saying "gotcha". His lips were saying something else. "Unless you'd like to discuss any and all ways to turn you on in… other ways."

Before she could react, Sonny was moving again and thankfully changing the subject. "I feel like a fire. Just the thing for a stormy night."  
  


She watched him, teeth worrying her lower lip as he moved to the fireplace, knelt down and expertly went to work on it.   
  
 "Why don't you lose the heels and relax, Alexis. I think we're done for tonight." _With business, anyway. _He thought. He smiled as Alexis slipped her shoes from her feet, before turning to work on the fire.   
  
She watched as the flames caught and grew, but the rush of heat Alexis felt had nothing to do with the change of the temperature in the room. Things had decidedly gone up a notch or two. Alexis took another swallow of her drink, thankful that it all went down the proper way this time. She spoke to his back. It was much easier that way. Even if she couldn't help the way her eyes visualized his body under his shirt as he stretched and moved, and the way his slacks fit tightly against his thighs as his body shifted. She reined her treacherous thoughts back in and tried to concentrate on the matter at hand.  "Aren't you the same man who told me very immodestly not too long ago, that he had no problem getting women?"  
  
  "I told you, maybe I'm trying to raise my standards. You did say that I was redeemable, didn't you? Maybe a good woman is just what I need…" Before her mind could form a response to that, Sonny stood and turned back towards her. In one smooth movement, he took the glass from her hand, her glasses from the bridge of her nose and brought her to her feet. He had her in his arms so effortlessly that Alexis hardly realized exactly how she'd gotten here. All she knew was that Sonny was suddenly holding her close. And it wasn't such a bad thing, either. She could get used to this. Without her heels, they were at eye level with one another.   
  
Alexis willed her breathing to stay normal as his eyes snared hers. His hands were burning through the thin silk of  her blouse as they moved unconsciously down her back and came to rest on her waist. Her hands had flew up, startled at his sudden move and still rested on his chest. Without realizing it, her hands flattened themselves against the smooth hard plane of his chest in a soft caress, feeling the taut muscles beneath the fine Egyptian cotton shirt.   
  
 "I wonder what does it for a woman like you?"  
  
 "Like me?" her voice was almost a strangled whisper. The heat in the room flared up another notch.  
  
  "Exactly. Smart, sharp, classy." His eyes stared into hers and Alexis found herself unable to drop her own. "Beautiful, sexy…."  
  
 "Sexy."  
  
 "Yeah, Councilor. What kind of woman exists under tailored suits? What does a woman – someone like you – want? Do romantic music and soft lights work for you?" Sonny asked, almost innocently. Almost. "Flowers and candlelight? Silk scarves and champagne and strawberries? Leather, lace and whipped cream?"  
   
"Sonny!" Alexis tried for indignant and failed. She laughed in spite of herself. "The champagne and strawberries, silk scarves, lace and whipped cream sounds messy."  
  
 His voice dropped to an intimate rumble that vibrated through the palms of  her hands, sending a hot lance of pure feeling shooting through her body. "You make that sound like a _bad _thing -- messy can be good."  
  
The two of them fell silent for a moment, caught up in the vision those words created. Unable to help herself, Alexis let visions of her and Sonny, soft lights and music and flowers and…yes…even silk scarves…catch hold. The thought sent a river of weakness straight through her pausing to coil sharply inside her and sent a flood of weakness straight to her knees, but then, with an effort, she pulled her mind back to reality, shocked to suddenly notice that the two of them were swaying together gently as they'd been talking, moving in rhythm to music that didn't exist. Her body stiffened in surprise.   
  
Bad move. Her feet tripped over one another and sent her stumbling into Sonny's arms. 

  
"Li-" Sonny had begun to speak when Alexis's body knocked the two of them over and sent them sprawling onto the couch.   
  
Alexis landed on top of him, his arms tightening automatically around her. He looked up into her face, feeling a silken wing of hair sweep gently against his cheek as it draped downward.  Sonny shifted one hand, enjoying the soft texture of her skin as his hand moved over the fine line of her cheekbone and then the sleek silk of her hair as, unbidden, his fingers slid upwards.

  
He repeated himself, in a voice suddenly gone husky, this time finishing what he had begun. An odd light gleamed in his eyes as his dimples deepened in a smile. "Live dangerously."  
  
Her breath caught in her throat. Appropriately enough, Alexis thought, thunder rumbled directly overhead.   
  
Then the lights went out.


	7. Out of the Shadows

Beyond the windows, the steady hiss of the rain played its soft song in soft counterpoint to the storm clouds and thunder. Inside the penthouse, the only sound was that of their breathing. 

_  
Can he hear the sound of my heart? _Alexis wondered. She wondered how he couldn't. She felt as though it might burst out of her chest at any moment. Worse, she didn't know how to control it. Alexis hated losing control in any circumstance. She simply couldn't take this, being so close to him and he having no idea of how much he meant to her, how much this was affecting her. She knew that she should, but Alexis couldn't bear to tear her eyes from his. Just another moment, and she would move. Just a moment more…  
  


Lightning crackled across the sky, illuminating their faces as they stared at one another.

 The crack of thunder that boomed overhead a moment later broke the strange stillness that had sprung up between them as Alexis jumped. Instinctively, Sonny's arms closed themselves around her, a protection against the storm and the dark and any and all things that might threaten her.

 The dancing flames from the fireplace created a warm gentle crackling sound, a backdrop to the sounds of their breathing. For a moment, they were the only sounds existing in their world. The storm had cut off everything and everyone else.

His arms felt natural, she fit in his arms so naturally. But this feeling inside him; the wave of protectiveness that swept through Sonny surprised him. He'd always felt something for Alexis. As they'd grown closer, he'd liked her at first, and had slowly come to cherish her...but this…what he was feeling was something totally new to him. Alexis was in his arms, and he didn't want to let her go.   
"Are you afraid of the thunder?" he asked softly. 

  
Alexis shook her head. "No, I actually liked thunderstorms even since I was young." She answered, her tone suddenly just as hushed as his had become. Something about the hiss of the storm outside and the flickering glow of the fireplace held them suspended in a cocoon of intimate quiet.  "Back on…the island…there were caves up in the hillsides. When I could sneak away, there were few things I liked better than be in them. For me, the storms represented safety and security, not danger, because no one would bother looking for me then. Stavros…wouldn't bother himself to come out in the wet, and it was easy for everyone to just forget that I didn't exist." A shadow passed over her eyes, but Sonny said nothing, letting her continue to talk. Like himself, Alexis was not one to reminisce often, or to share it with many others. He knew it for the gift it was and was suddenly, oddly, content to lay here with her, content to listen to the sound of her voice and accept another secret part of herself that she was sharing with only him.  
  
 "I loved to watch the lighting dancing across the sky." She continued. "There's something primeval, something untamed and untamable that I love about them. I could see my future in them. Because one day, I would be like they were…free."   
  


For a moment. Sonny was envious of that freedom; he wished that he'd had a place to hide, to get away. But all during his days of growing up, it had seemed like there would be no escape. For him, the boundaries were set by the four walls of the place that he, his mother and Deke shared. It was called his house, but had never really become his home.  
But just as quickly as those dark thoughts had come, the memories they evoked were forced away, banished by the sound of her voice and he was glad for her. Alexis had had a whole island to escape into. What she was telling him now, had been part of what made Alexis the woman she was, and for that, he could be nothing but grateful.   
  
Her eyes gazed serious into his. "The only thing I feared, besides Stavros and Helena, was the dark. Not the storms themselves, just the endless, lightless dark."

Sonny knew that fear all too well. When Deke used to lock him in the closet as a child, the total absence of light was one of the things that used to terrify him. He'd managed to lose that fear over the years, but sometimes, it came back to haunt him too. "It's dark now." he said aloud.   
  
 "But I'm with you." Alexis said without thinking. "Nothing bad can happen to me when I'm with you."   
  


Her rational mind screamed for her to move, demanded to know what it was she thought she was doing. She didn't know.  _Don't make a fool of yourself and this situation,_ logic told her.Her irrational heart didn't care what logic said. All it knew was that it was her and Sonny and firelight and they were the only things that existed in this moment in time.   
  
Happiness was such a fleeting thing, Alexis thought. She'd promised Stefan that she would start to live her life more fully. Well, if that meant taking life and living it just for the moment sometimes, that was fine with her. She'd take the memory of this moment, of Sonny's beautiful, sable-lashed dark eyes gazing deep into hers, of the strength and feel of his arms holding her close and the beating of their hearts together as one and not ask for more but just store it away in her heart.   
  
 "Yeah, you're with me." _And not with Jax._ He dismissed his wannabe rival from his mind, without a second thought. This was in no way about Jax. Instead, Sonny allowed himself to become all too aware of her. His hands on her body craved nothing more than to explore the smooth lean curves of her slender form stretched out above him and against him, all that was usually hidden by the suits she insisted on all too evident as they pressed close against his body. Unconsciously, he still had one hand in her hair, holding it back so he could see her clearly. Her face hovered above his and even in the golden orange flickering glow of the flames, he could see the depth of trust in her eyes. "You know I'll take care of you, no matter what. You're the only person I can trust. And there's no one else that means anything like you mean to me."  
  


"Right back at you." Alexis fought to keep the tremble from her voice. If only he meant it the way that she did. She pushed that misery away, not wanting him to see it. He need never know….  
  


Instead, she smiled down at him, a slow sweet smile that set her dimples to deepening and his heart to pounding. That and the look in her eyes. He wanted to stare up into them forever. Sonny saw the tiniest quiver of her lips and the sudden knowledge of all that Alexis had kept from him, her own emotions that she had selflessly kept bottled inside, was like a blinding explosion in his mind, a sudden sharp blow in his gut, and his response was a dam breaking free in him that sent a flood of emotions poured through him, inundating his heart. As much as he'd doubted Kristina before, he knew she'd told the truth for a fact now. And damned himself for being such a blind fool for so long. And now that he knew, he wouldn't waste another moment questioning it. All the answers he needed were there in Alexis' eyes.

"Alexis…" How could he tell her everything he was feeling this moment? His feelings, this realization, all of it had been building so long and now, tonight came pouring out from seemingly nowhere, blindsiding him, paralyzing him with the sheer earth shattering strength of it, leaving him speechless. His lips parted, blindly seeking for the words that would express what he felt, but nothing came out.   
  
There was one way to say everything he wanted, without speaking a single word. Sonny lifted his head, at the same time, his hand tangled itself in her hair and slowly urged her downward to meet him.

"Sonny…?" Alexis whispered. That single word held a million questions in it, and not a single one was she brave enough to ask aloud. Alexis was stunned and disbelieving of the dawning awareness she saw blooming in his eyes. It was as though a wall had come down, a barrier had been broken, destroyed, laid to waste without her knowing it. And in spite of all the alarms going off inside her, her heart thrilled, and beat faster in astonished anticipation. 

"Shhh….Alexis…" Sonny breathed. His brought both of his hands up in a hesitant caress, gentle fingers tracing the fragile outline of her cheekbones, while his thumbs brushed over the contours of her lips. His heart leapt in pleasure as Alexis' eyes warmed and darkened in response. And then, gently cupping her face, Sonny touched his lips to hers, "Don't…"  his words were whisper-soft, mingled with feathery kisses to her lips, her cheeks and then the smooth sweet curve of her jaw line, and finally her eyelids as he kissed them shut, his voice gentle as his touch as he spoke to her between his kisses  "….don't… say… a …word…Alexis…_please_…"    
  
Hearing the heartfelt plea in his voice broke down the last of her resolve. Alexis let herself melt into his kisses, a tiny moan of surrender escaping her as his lips pressed themselves firmly against his own, slowly parting hers and then his tongue sweetly sought hers. Sonny groaned as he deepened the possession of her mouth, knowing that she was granting him access to so much more than her physical self at the same time. _How could he have not known all this time…_Sonny stopped thinking, let pure sensation overtake him as Alexis responded to his kiss, her lips warming under his own, allowing his mouth to plunder hers. One soft hand came up to caress the hard contours of his face with softly trembling fingertips. Her touch sent a fresh wave of feeling sweeping through his body. It had been so long since he had allowed himself to lose himself inside a woman's sweetness. And it was this woman's sweetness that called to him, her and her alone.   
  
Her mind struggled for control…telling her all the reasons why she shouldn't be kissing Sonny, all the while her arms were coming up to hold him close. He was still in love with his wife, her mind said…no, his ex wife…her heart replied….she'd seen the final papers herself. All while his arms tightened around her, pulling her body close against his. The proof of his desire was all too evident. Her heart won out, sending her senses spiraling downwards to lose themselves in his embrace. She surrendered as time stopped for the two of them then and there.  
  


Sonny's hands tangled themselves in her hair and then his lips were scorching a pathway down her throat. "Alexis…" His murmuring of her name against the soft curve of her collarbone sent a shiver of desire deep inside her. Unbidden, her fingers slid into the silken midnight of his hair, stroked the strong column of  his throat and caressed the hardened muscles of his body as his hands threaded through the warm dark chestnut of hers. Their lips came together again in an explosion of joy and surprise and passion.  
  


Reluctantly, the kiss ended in a mutual need to breathe. Sonny and Alexis drew apart slightly, expressions of wonder and yes, awe, in each of their faces, both of them reluctant to speak, afraid of breaking the spell that had been cast.   
  


Sonny's heart sank as he saw a veil fall over Alexis' beautiful eyes, dimming the passion he knew he'd seen just moments before. He knew her all too well and guessed, correctly, at what would come next.

Alexis struggled to free herself from Sonny's arms, her heart already aching. "No, Sonny…no…" She was already shaking her head. They couldn't… they shouldn't… "Your…your wife."

  
"Ex wife, Alexis." Reluctantly, Sonny let her go.   
  
 Alexis got to her feet, struggling to hide the weakness in her knees. "Legalities."  Standing, she moved away, turning her back to him as she struggled to compose herself. "You still love her." It wasn't a question. Not in her mind. She stiffened her resolve. Not that he would purposefully set out to hurt her, but Alexis was not going to allow Sonny to use her to prove to himself that he no longer loved his wife.  
  


   The touch of gentle fingers against the curve of her neck startled her. She'd never heard Sonny move. She caught her breath as the fingers traced their way gently downward. Then they were curving around her shoulder and turning her, unwillingly, around.  
  


 "Whatever I say, you're afraid to believe it." Sonny said, looking directly at her. "Don't you think I know you well enough by now?"  
  


 For a moment, all of Alexis' arguments were lost, mist on the wind, underneath the intenseness of his dark gaze. But she gathered her resolve. "And I know you, Sonny." she said as she moved purposefully towards the door. She didn't see Sonny as his hand came up to stop her, or the regret in his eyes as he let it fall and watched her walk away from him. 

Alexis went to the door and opened it. Unwisely, her head argued, she turned around and looked at Sonny one final time and a sharp pain knifed through her heart as her eyes met his. She wrenched her gaze away. "Let's just chalk this up to a moment where we let things get away from us. No harm, no foul." Not trusting herself to say anything more, Alexis jerked the door open and headed for her own apartment. Behind her, she heard Sonny's voice, but still somewhat dazed from everything that had just happened, she didn't catch the words. 

In the hallway, Johnny was on post, as usual. He looked at her strangely as she brushed by him. Usually Ms. Davis had a smile or a joke or both for him, but not tonight. She swept by without a word, long legs moving her swiftly past him, hair mussed, her eyes strangely lambent. Johnny's own gaze swiveled around just in time to see his boss come barreling out of the door directly behind her, an oddly intense expression on his face that his bodyguard hadn't seen in a very, very long time. He didn't so much as glance at Johnny either. But before Alexis could shut it, Sonny was there, catching a hold of the door. He stepped inside and closed it behind him.    
  
The bodyguard turned his eyes resolutely away from the door, while a reluctant smile tugged at his lips.   
  
It was about damned time. 


	8. Games of Chance

Sonny sighed quietly as he closed Alexis' door behind him. He watched as she walked to her desk, eyes deliberately avoiding his. Didn't she know him better than this by now? He did nothing that he did not want to do and she knew that as well as he. And he'd wanted everything that had just happened…maybe not as soon as she did, but now that he was here, just as much as she did. He said the same to her back. 

Standing in front of the desk,  she pretended to look at the papers there. In fact, she barely registered them. Every fiber of her being screamed its knowledge of Sonny's presence in the room. She could feel him, standing there by the door, sense the cadence of his breathing, feel his eyes boring deep into her. She fought not to turn. If she did, if she looked into his eyes, she'd be lost.  
"Sonny, have you seen Carly today?" The sudden silence told her how well she'd hit the mark. In spite of herself, inside, she crumbled. Just a little bit.   
  
         Sonny was stunned into sudden speechlessness. Carly was the last thing on his mind at the moment. At the moment, he was thinking of dark sun-shaded eyes gazing down into his, of the thrill that had shot through him as something in his heart had struggled to be born as he'd gazed upwards into Alexis' eyes and seen her heart there, his for the taking, of the moment Alexis' lips had first touched his.  
  


His silence spoke volumes. Closed off, stone-faced Sonny Corinthos. The man who gave nothing away to anyone. Well, she knew the truth. Of course, he'd seen her. More than likely Carly had done one of her I'll-just-drop-in-because-I-can drive-bys and, as always, the sparks had flown between them. Even if he hadn't seen her, it was clear Carly was still very much in Sonny's thoughts. She remembered what Jax had told her. Alexis gently disentangled herself mentally from Sonny's hold. "She did ask you to the club opening, didn't she?"  
  
 "Yeah, she did, and I agreed to come, but…" He didn't know how to explain himself. Explaining himself was not something Sonny was familiar with. In his life, explanations were pretty much unnecessary. Carly needed her hand held; she was like a little girl in so many ways. They were over. The divorce was final. He hadn't thought it would hurt to show his approval that she was moving on with her life. But he didn't know how to explain all of that to Carly, let alone to Alexis.   
  
         His answer only served to solidify things for Alexis; the only way to protect her heart and keep their friendship intact was to disengage first. The truth would hurt, _Oh God, how it hurt_ – She felt something inside her splinter --  but it was the best thing for both of them. "Tell the truth, Sonny. That kiss had nothing to do with me. It was...was something to pass the time. To fill a void. Carly's gone but not forgotten."  
  
"Alexis." Sonny nearly growled in frustration. He knew exactly what she was doing – and why. The walls were going back up. "Alexis…listen to me…"  Too late…she was on a roll.   
  
"It's so obvious you are still in love with your wife. It's okay, I understand it. It was ---is -- one of those grand passions. It had to be, otherwise who could understand why the two of your clicked the way that you so obviously did. I saw it in your eyes; I even saw it in hers, even when the two of you drove each other insane, even though you could scream from the frustration and the consequences that her unthinking acts put you in time and time again. It was plain. You loved her. You still do. And you miss her and it hurts." She shrugged. "So you were lonely, and …what just happened – just happened. It's not your fault -- I don't blame you. What's a little kiss between…friends?" _More than she would ever admit.   
  
_

"Alexis!" His voice was sharp enough to cut her off. "Before you ran out on me, I said that whatever I say right now, you'd find a way to rationalize it. Some things can't be rationalized, Alexis. What happened between us can't be analyzed or explained rationally. It just happened. Maybe because it was supposed to."

"And maybe it wasn't!" Alexis said, still not trusting herself to speak these words while looking in his eyes. She was too afraid that he would see through her, tear the veils of her heart asunder too easily.

"Wasn't it?" His voice, still so sweet, deep and intense that it pierced straight to her heart, sounded from directly behind her. 

Alexis spun around. She knew him well enough that a part of her couldn't help but acknowledge the truth that he was speaking. But there was still a small core of her mind that had to protect her heart no matter what. Those walls had been too long in the making and would not fall so easily. Not even for Sonny, the master thief that had stolen her heart from her without even trying. But it was too late; Sonny already had her in his arms. "You know me better than anyone else in the world. So you should know, I don't say what I don't mean, and I don't do anything I don't want to. You need to go slow; that's fine. I can deal with that. We'll go as slow as we need to. But there's something happening here between us, and _together_  we're going figure out what the hell it is."

His hands slid down her arms, to capture her wrists, at the same time, Sonny pulled her to him, capturing her lips in a hungry kiss that left no doubts to his desire. Now that he had tasted her once, he was only hungry for more. He wanted -- no _needed_ --  to savor her once again…His mouth swooped down over hers, hard, demanding a response from her. And just as quickly, his mouth gentled on hers and that left her without the will to resist him. Alexis' lips parted under his insistent pressure, allowed his tongue to seek her own. For a breathless moment, all she could feel was the heated warmth of him melting into her. His hands had moved from her wrists to her hands, fingers intertwining themselves with her. They stroked and teased at her flesh, as though unable to get enough of touching her. His thumbs, brushed across her palms…. God, just the feel of his flesh against her in this simplest of touches had a power all their own and she shivered helplessly in response.   
  


Then Sonny was stepping back from her. Her eyes fluttered open to find his eyes still locked on hers. Alexis was left breathless and trembling. If he could do that to her with just a kiss… she leaned against her desk for support, hands gripping the edges tightly. Her legs simply refused to hold her without help.    
  


"Let me put this in terms you'll understand. Consider that my opening statement, Councilor; if it helps, think of this as an impending merger and acquisition. The terms, at the moment, are up to you. But negotiations are in play." He paused. "But remember, I'm usually not a very patient man."   
  
         Alexis was at a pure loss for words. Her heart was still thundering and her mind was still dazed by the intensity of his kiss. She shook her head. This could not be happening. It couldn't… 

  
         "I'm not a patient man," he continued. Sonny surprised her by reaching for her hand. "Except when the stakes are high enough. And this time, they are. Let me spell this out very clearly. I own ten casinos scattered all over the Caribbean. But, as a rule, I never gamble in them. Gambling's a sucker bet. That's because the odds are with the House and not the player….But not this time. This time, what's at stake is your heart…and mine. And this is about the greatest gamble there ever is." He lifted her hand to his lips and brushed her knuckles against his mouth. Neither one of them could doubt the trail of fire and heat and desire left in the wake of his touch, no matter how hard either one of them tried to hide it. Sonny wasn't; his eyes blazed into hers, letting his desire show. Alexis drew in a sharp breath, in spite of her resolve and she could only look at him helplessly as his eyes darkened in response and his mouth curved into a small smile. He wasn't angry with her. He _understood_.  "Are you game, Councilor?"  
  
         When she still didn't answer, Sonny just smiled at her, even as his eyes held hers captive. "Life's a gamble, Alexis. But only if you choose to take chances.. Are you willing to take a chance on me? Because I'm ready to take a chance on you. And I'm betting we can beat the odds.  Sonny leaned in and brushed his lips against hers and then turned and walked to the door, drawing her with him as he walked to the door. "You know me well enough. Once I decide that I want something, I go after it. And I usually get what I want." Sonny opened the door, then turned back to her a final time. "Sleep on that. We'll  … talk… some more – later."  
  
         Stepping across the threshold, he released her and the last glimpse Alexis had before he closed the door was of his dark eyes locked on hers. She knew he meant every word of that. Sonny rarely said anything he didn't mean. Correction. Never. He never said anything he didn't mean. 

Alexis didn't know whether to be thrilled or terrified.


	9. The Calm Before

_There's something happening between us, and together, we're going to figure out what the hell it is…"_

His mouth on hers. Had she ever really ever been kissed before? Not like this, not with lips that were all at once hard and demanding, then swiftly gentling and tender… not with kisses that burned their way into her soul and implanted themselves on all of her senses…. All of her fantasies had come nowhere close to reality. Sonny tasted like …like a fresh brewed cup of espresso. Dark. Strong, and a hint of sweetness underneath.   
  
 Lying in her bed, Alexis floated somewhere between sleeping and wakefulness, letting the kiss replay itself behind her closed eyelids, reliving the touch of Sonny's lips against her own. A phantom river of desire coursed from her lips and spiraled downwards into her body, leaving behind an all too real ache. A few moments more, she told herself, just another minute then she'd wake up and banish these treacherous thoughts from her consciousness.   
  
Was this why Carly fought so hard not to be banished from Sonny's life? Alexis's memories surfaced.  She remembered going to se Sonny after he'd been released from jail, and the look on Sonny's face when she'd questioned him about his wife's whereabouts….then the total the shock she'd felt when the realization hit her that it had been Carly that had betrayed Sonny to the FBI. In her mind's eye, she saw the younger woman screaming and banging at the penthouse door.   
  
 "Sonny…you didn't have to change the locks…Sonny!!…" Carly's agonized cry echoed in her ears… In that moment, she'd pitied Carly. How could she have ever thought that trying to force Sonny into the witness protection program had _ever_ been an option? This was supposedly the man that she loved and she hadn't understood this most basic thing about him? That his word, his sense of honor, his pride, his sense of _self_ would never allow him to betray those he'd given his word and honor to?   
  
_Even I knew that much,_ Alexis thought to herself. And all we were, were friends. Even as her mind dwelled on that word -  friends – her body betrayed her as images of his Sonny's arms close about her, of his damnable and eloquent kisses replayed itself once more.  She sighed. Why did she allow herself to indulge in these infantile schoolgirl actions? That's all it was, she told herself sternly. She'd never had the chance to indulge in them when she was a teenager, Helena and Stavros had seen to that. So now her mind decided to play adolescent tricks on her? It was all just pitiful, really. What would Helena say...no what would she sneer and disparage and belittle -  if she could see her now?   
  
The thought of her deviant family tree brought Alexis into full wakefulness. It was just as well; as her body stretched against the cool sheets, the phone rang.   
  
"Hey, beautiful."

"Hey, yourself."  
   
"Sleeping in this morning?"

  
"I needed the rest." She didn't volunteer the information that she'd spent the greater portion of the night tossing and turning. She had to get that man out of her mind, or else there were going to be plenty of sleepless nights in her future. 

   
"Corinthos working you overtime again? Just because his life is empty, doesn't give him the right to impose himself on you all hours of the day and night."

  
"Jax, no one was imposing on me, believe me. Your concern, as always, is touching." Alexis deftly changed the subject. "Now, was there something specific that you called me about?"  
  


"Just to ask you if you were coming to the club opening?"

"What is this, a preemptive strike?" Alexis shifted into a more comfortable position against her pillows.  
  
"With your brilliant legal mind, how else could I possible win? I figured if you're planning to say no, this would give me the entire day to change your mind."  
  
 "Well, since you've caught me at a disadvantage, and my mind is not functioning at one hundred percent capacity at the present time, I'll say yes." This solved several problems all at once. Jax would see that she was not tied to Sonny at the hip. Maybe that was a lesson Sonny needed to learn as well. And maybe it would quiet Kristina too. One could only hope.   
  
"Yes?" Jax's voice was incredulous, but he was quick to hide his surprise. "Don't worry about  a thing; I'll make all of the arrangements."  
  


Alexis sighed. "I suppose I can always claim diminished capacity at a later date, but yes. I and Kristina will be happy to be your guests at the club opening."   
  
***

  
She got through the day, somehow, with a minimum of Sonny. Sometimes that was a good thing…. Thankfully, he'd been out of the penthouse most of the day, and the day she spent working at home had been blessedly uneventful.   
  


But there were papers that she needed his final sign-off on because of last-minute revisions before they could be messengered out and there was no more putting it off. They had to go out tonight. Business was business, and pleasure was….not Sonny, she scolded her suddenly wayward thoughts.  
  
Kristina came bustling through the door, a whirlwind of excitement. She carried an armload of bags and packages. Johnny, obviously recruited from his usual hallway post, carried another armful. Alexis smiled up at her, then gave Johnny her condolences in an open grin. He smiled ruefully and patiently followed Kristina as she chattered her way into the living room. The news this morning that Alexis would go with her to the club had sent her little sister into overdrive. Despite her own misgivings, it was easy enough to see that Kristina's enthusiasm was more than enough for the two of them.   
  


"Alexis, it's already time to get ready. You'd think you could put those boring papers away for one night, at least."  
  


"These boring papers, young lady, are what pays for the roof over our heads, so don't be so quick to disparage them so lightly." She laughed as Kristina made a face at her, sticking out her tongue as she deposited her bags onto the couch and began rummaging through them. "Well, the first thing I'm going to do is run you a bath with some special aromatherapy oils that I just picked up fresh." Triumphantly she came up with a small bag. "Now  you can allow their cleansing essences to just- just wipe away all those work vibrations. That should give you enough time to finish up what you're doing and be done for the night. And hurry…Jax and his club awaits!"  
  
Before she could answer, Kristina ran upstairs. Alexis sighed aloud. 

"Something troubling you, Ms. Davis?"

Alexis turned in surprise. "No, Johnny. Just work."  
  
"So you're going to the club opening tonight?"  
  
_Was there a thread of disapproval in his voice?_ Alexis thought so for a moment, but couldn't be sure….."Yes," Alexis  said dryly. "I wouldn't miss it for the world."  
  


Johnny was a smart man. Sonny barely tolerated idiots in his presence. She was sure that he caught her sarcasm. But like any good bodyguard, his face remained perfectly immobile. Surely she was mistaken about the hint of a smile that had twitched at his lips.   
  
"Not with Mr. Corinthos?"

"Not with Mr. Corinthos." Definitely not. He was going to be there for his ex-wife. She was going there…for herself. Alexis didn't realize that she'd straightened her shoulders as the thought went through her mind. Unconsciously, she tossed her hair back from her face and a sparkle of defiance flashed into her eyes. "No, not with Mr. Corinthos."  
  
"His loss."  
  


"You think?"  
  
"I know."  
  


The absolute certainty in the bodyguard's voice startled Alexis. Before she could react to that, Johnny was turning back towards the door. "You deserve more than this, but I hope you have a wonderful evening, Ms. Davis."

"Thank you, Johnny." She said, more than a little taken aback at his comment. The door closed behind him silently. After a moment spent staring after him, Alexis shook her head. She looked down at the papers still in her hand. She needed Sonny's signature on these final revisions in the very much immediate future in order for them to be express mailed out before ten, but suddenly she decided they could wait a bit. And so could he. She tossed the papers onto the desk. Time to think of herself first, for a change.  
  
"Kristina, you wouldn't have happened to have picked up any gardenia oil?" she called as she headed towards the stairs.  
  



	10. Forecast Chance of Rain

**CHAPTER TEN  
           
         **Whatever Kristina's oils and potions and bath infusions were supposed to do for her aura, Alexis had no idea. But the truth of the matter was, she felt marvelously alive. Enough so that she even submitted even further to Kristina's ministrations and let her do her hair and eyes. Upstairs, looking in the mirror, she had to admit that the results were spectacular. She hardly recognized her reflection in the mirror. Suddenly she was all eyes and cheekbones and something indefinable had put a glow on her face…

She swept down the stairs, enjoying the feel of the cool, clinging, sensuous fabric against her skin. The phone rang and she walked over to the desk to answer it. The conversation was brief; the car Jax had sent for them was downstairs. "The car will be here in five minutes…and just for information purposes, Kristina, if you're the one that was rushing me, then why am I down here waiting for you?" Alexis laughed as her sister's sassy retort floated down the stairs to her. 

Alexis' smile faded somewhat as her eyes fell on the manila folder sitting on the desk. The papers for Sonny. She glanced at her watch. She _had_ promised that it would be messengered out before ten. It was 9:45, so technically, she had time to get Sonny's signature and have a messenger there within the quarter hour.  _Well, let's get it over with._ She thought. She made a quick call to her service, instructing them to be there ASAP. She could leave the package downstairs at the door. Sonny's men were more than efficient in seeing that anything that affected him was taken care of diligently. Replacing the receiver, Alexis sighed and squared her shoulders as she turned towards the door. _Business first.  
_  
         ***  
  
         "Hi, Johnny." Alexis said as she stepped into the hallway. "Sonny's expecting me."  
         "No. He's not." Usually the perfect bodyguard who saw nothing and everything all at once without giving any of it away, Johnny was definitely in a sharing mood tonight. His gaze reflected nothing but approval. "No, Miss Davis, Mr. Corinthos is definitely not expecting _this_ you at all."

A compliment.   
         Johnny had just given her a compliment. A grade A plus stamp of approval, no less. A soft laugh escaped her and on a sudden whim, Alexis pirouetted lightly. Johnny's eyes gave away his appreciation, even though he said nothing more. Noting the folder in her hand, he anticipated her intentions, and knocked lightly on Sonny's door. Hearing a muffled response, Johnny opened the door and poked his head in as Alexis drew near.   
"Ms. Davis to see you." he announced.  

As Alexis passed by him, she thought he might have said something, but she wasn't sure…did he say "knock 'em dead?"  
         She didn't have much time to dwell on it though, Sonny was across the room, in front of the fireplace, gazing into the flames. He turned and all the cool collected words that she had had prepared flew straightaway out of her head. He wasn't dressed for the evening yet, but still had on his grey silk robe and a matching bottoms. He must have just stepped from the shower. His hair was still curling slightly from the damp and his skin seemed to still hold a sheen to it.  Alexis could see the smooth muscular curve of his chest where it gapped. Her eyes were drawn to that enticing expanse of smoothly muscled olive skin. With an effort, she forced her gaze away and up to his face before he could notice.

Sonny turned around at the sound of the door closing, just as the first faint scent of gardenias filled his senses. His eyes caught Alexis and he paused, taken by surprise. This Alexis he hadn't seen before. Her body was encased in a dark ruby red sheathe of a dress, subtly sparkling where the lights caught at it, lightly outlining the lean but sensuous curves of her body even as it flared outward from her hips. Her hair was pinned up in back, exposing the long slender expanse of her throat leaving wispy strands to frame her face. Dangling shoulder-dusting ruby drops completed the effect. But he hardly noticed that as his eyes dropped unwillingly to her half-bared shoulders. There the dress clung to her upper arms and led to a softly plunging neckline. He'd never seen Alexis looking so…what was the word he was looking for? So regal. Sonny was reminded of her semi-royal blood like he'd never been before.   
           
         That thought caught him by surprise, like a shock of cold water. What had he been thinking? He was a street rat, a criminal in a silk suit, but a criminal either way. It was enough that Alexis was his friend. Maybe he shouldn't hope for more… his age old war waged within him.  
_You think you good enough for a woman like this? Deke's voice sneered in his head. Look at her…and look at you… You're worthless, you're nothing. You never were and you never will be…_He didn't realize that he'd gone silent and his eyes gone dark. "You look very nice, Alexis." Sonny said softly, the words sounding lame even as they came out of his mouth. "Beautiful."  
  
         Alexis couldn't read Sonny's expression. It looked like it was somewhere else… his eyes…they were distant, as though he really wasn't seeing her at all.  It didn't take long to figure out why. _Just the thought of seeing Carly in a few hours has got him._ She thought. _I'm back to being his lawyer_. _And his friend_. Inwardly she sighed. _What a foolish notion she'd had for just a moment. A foolish little fantasy, that's all it had ever been… _ "Thank you, Sonny." Her voice was as cool and collected as ever. "All I need is your signature on these contracts and they can be on their way." She crossed the room to his desk and withdrew the papers from the envelope. "I've taken the liberty of sending for a messenger and they should be here momentarily. So if you can do this, we can both be on our way."  
  
         Sonny came to stand beside her as he reached for a pen. Thoughtlessly he scribbled his name and initialed in the places she pointed out to him. Dismally aware of the perfume rising up from her skin, his heart ached. It was different and yet a perfect blend for her. Floral, but with a hint of spice and sweet and heavy sensuality underneath. But he dared not do as his senses were telling him, pull her into his arms and bury himself in it. He'd only end up hurting her. His touch was destruction itself. _Maybe it's better this way…" _ He dotted the final "i" and crossed the last  "t". "There you go, Alexis."  
    
         Both of them reached for the papers at the same time, intending to put them back in their envelope. Their hands met, but neither one of them would show the electric reaction that the one's touch evoked in the other. In spite of their individual resolutions, their fingers lingered a moment longer than necessary before they fell away. In the wake of that supposedly simple touch, they were both at a loss for words.   
  
         Alexis resisted the urge to bite at her lower lip. "Well, everything is taken care of then." She said briskly. _ You will stay in control. You WILL stay in control. _ It was a mantra in her mind. "I'll take care of everything from here. You have a lovely evening, Sonny." She turned away before he could see the hurt in her eyes.   
  
         Before he could say anything more, she was turning away from him and walking to the door. _ Let her go…_ his head said. He willed his hands to stay at his sides, before he reached out and stopped her.  
  
         Alexis stepped into the hallway, just as Kristina emerged from their door.   
  
         "The driver just called; he's downstairs…" Kristina said. As they stepped onto the elevator, she gave her older sister a long look, but wisely said nothing. The elevator doors slid silently shut. Alexis gazed at her blurred reflection in the doors. She was going to go to the club and have a good time.   
  
         Even if it killed her.


	11. Stormwatch

It was a mad-house, of course; the paparazzi was out at the club entrance in full force. With Jasper Jax as the financial backer for Club 101 -- _ now there's an original name,_ Alexis couldn't help but thinking -- there was an influx of influential people who otherwise would not have bothered themselves to step foot in the place. And where they went, the media trailed like a pack of hungry hounds. So here she was, caught in a crush, flashbulbs exploding in her face like a thousand tiny stars. Fighting their way through the crowd, it was with a real sense of relief that they finally made their way inside. Alexis and Kristina paused just before the stairway, letting their eyes adjust to the lighting.  The music was pulsating and the gathering seemed to be happy enough. It seemed to be a nice turnout. Jax – and Carly – should be pleased.   
Speaking of the little woman, here she comes. Unconsciously, Alexis stiffened. Kristina noticed the movement, and following Alexis' gaze, saw Carly bearing down on them through the crowd. Instinctively, she moved to a spot that put her in Carly's path.  
 

 "What are _you_ doing here?" Carly hissed at Alexis, ignoring Kristina. "My opening night was by invitation ONLY." 

  
         Kristina was the one who answered before Alexis could so much as open her mouth. She took great delight in waving two embossed slips of paper at Carly. "And here are our invitations. Jax personally invited us as his personal guests."   
 Carly tried to move around her, but Kristina moved with her, determined not to let the other get within arm's reach of Alexis. It didn't stop Carly from speaking her mind – such as it was. 

  
         "I'm sure that's the excuse Alexis is using, isn't it, Alexis?" Carly made an exaggerated motion of looking around her. "No Sonny in sight? Aren't you feeling a little lost without your leash and collar? The truth is, Sonny is here for me tonight. Me…and not you. If he'd wanted you to be here, he'd have asked you, wouldn't he?"

   
         Alexis refused to answer, and Carly mistook her lack of response as thinking that she'd gotten to her. The other woman's silence only encouraged her to keep at her. "After all, since I've been gone, you've been following him around like such a good little puppy. Sonny doesn't need a lapdog, Alexis. So why don't you just go home now and curl up on the couch and wait for the next time he asks for your legal expertise, because that's the only bone he'll throw you."

  
          Alexis only looked back at Carly with outward calm. Normally, Alexis was well able to ignore Carly. Her insecurities and petty jealousies were more annoying and alternately entertaining in a sick fascinated kind of way, the way one looks at a big ugly bug crossing your path, than anything. But in light of what had been going on the past forty-eight hours of Alexis' life,  her nerves were just a little sensitive and Alexis didn't trust herself not to keep herself under control. And then Miss Carly might not know what hit her. Deny it all she did, Alexis was a Cassidine, and every once in a great while, she could be provoked into showing it. "I'm not going there with you, Carly. Just enjoy your night. Why don't you just leave it alone?"

  
         "Why can't you just leave _us_ alone?"

  
         Kristina, protective as ever, was more than happy to jump in. "If you're talking about you and Sonny, there isn't an 'us' as far and you and he are concerned, isn't that right? Sonny threw you out of his penthouse and out of his life. We're here because of Jax…not you, and definitely not Sonny."

  
         "Peddle it somewhere else, Alexis." Carly ignored Kristina. "You knew he would be here, but you couldn't let him come and be with me alone. You had to once again, stick your nose in where it doesn't belong. You're here, with your sister as your 'date' because Sonny would have never invited you, because he doesn't look at you that way - date material, I mean." Carly's words were meant to hurt. And in spite of everything that had happened in the last little while, Alexis felt the stab of her words in her heart. But Alexis wouldn't let anything show on her face. "So you make up any excuse to get yourself anywhere where Sonny might be… how pathetic can you be…you'll even use your friend Jax. So why don't you just quit the lies and admit the to the truth?"

  
         "Alexis has no need to lie." Jax's smooth voice sounded behind them as he walked up on them unannounced. "She and her sister are my personal VIP guests." He beckoned to a nearby waiter. "Jackson, would you  please show my VIP guests to their reserved seating. I'd like you to be their personal server for the evening and anything they want tonight, is theirs – on me."  The waiter bowed, his smile gleaming against the dark chocolate complexion.  "Ladies…." Jax bowed his head to them, as polite as always, even as his eyes glinted angrily. "I'll join you in a moment, but you'll have to excuse me for a moment, as I need to confer with my partner." He took Carly by the arm in what seemed as a polite gesture, but was anything but.  
  
***  
  
         "We're going to have a few private words in the office." Jax spoke low but his voice was unmistakably hard in her ear. He began to propel her across the floor.  But Carly wasn't having it. She jerked free of his grip and whirled around to face him in the middle of the floor. 

  
         "If you have something to say to me, then say it right here." Jax was reminded that Carly never was one to back away from a fight.  And she was a very – volatile – woman, with definite likes and dislikes. Something he should have remembered before he agreed to be her partner. But if she thought she was going to get the best of him, playing on his gentlemanly instincts and her feminine wiles, she thought wrong. Jax did have a leaning towards protecting women, but bottom line, business was business. If she wanted to call him out right here and now, so be it.

  
          "All right Carly." Jax said. "If that's the way you want it – fine. Let me remind you, the club's success depends on us treating our guests with respect. A bad reputation travels quickly. And I won't allow you to destroy the club's reputation on opening night."

  
          "And I have no intentions of doing that, Jax. I put too much of myself into this to even think about doing that!" Carly shot back. "You invite that…that woman into _my_ club – what did you expect?"

  
          "Do I have to remind you that this isn't just your club, Carly?" Jax said**. **He'd been hoping that tonight would run smoothly, even though  he knew that it was a volatile mix, putting Alexis and Carly in the same room.He'd learned a lot about his partner; she was creative and filled with her vision for her club, but she was also volatile as fire and as changeable as water. She was also too prone to let her emotions rule her head and her heart. "You run the club, true, but you don't own it. And who I invite is my business."

  
          "Even if it's someone I don't want here?" 

  
          "Even so." Jax answered her back evenly. "I won't allow you to destroy this club with your petty jealousies. To be manager of a successful club, you'll have to learn how to handle these situations. Think of it as a learning experience."

  
          Carly sputtered in rage. "My petty jealousies? You have no idea what you're talking about!" Her voice had raised enough that several patrons turned to look at them. She tossed her hair and Jax groaned as he recognized the glint in her eye. 

  
         "We're business partners, Carly. Remember our agreement. No schemes, nothing. They'll be no second chances." He said shortly, trying to head off her impending tirade. "Don't confuse me with Corinthos."

  
         "You don't know anything about that!"

  
         "And I don't want to know about it either. Carly, don't do this, I mean it." Jax grasped her arm again and pulled her close. "This is your night. Your success. Enjoy it." She glared up at him, but Jax, surprisingly, couldn't read her. What was she thinking? More importantly, what was she planning?

  
          "So who you invite is your business? Well Jax, that works both ways." Her eyes flicked towards the staircase and Jax groaned inwardly. Speak of the devil and he appears. Sonny Corinthos stood at the head of the stairs, as dapper and groomed as any man here tonight; a surge of rage swept thru him and before he could hide his revulsion, it had been noticed.

          "If you can invite your own personal guests, well so can I, Jax." Carly said challengingly.

  
          Well, she had him there, as much as he hated to admit it. "Keep him on a short leash." Jax growled. "And keep the pyrotechnics down to a minimum"  
          "Any pyrotechnics going on will be private…." Carly said. With one of  her mercurial changes in temperament, she grinned at him. "You handle your business, and I'll handle mine." She smiled all too nicely at him.  

  
          "Carly…." 

  
           She smiled at him again, all too sure of her victory. "You go and deal with your VIP guests, and I'll deal with mine."

  
          Jax could only steam quietly as she crossed the room to her ex-husband.

  
         Sonny stood at the head of the stairs, bodyguards unobtrusively on alert, as he coolly looked around. His dark gaze missed nothing, not Carly as she moved towards him with a smile, or Jax as he scowled at him briefly, before turning away. He saw several other faces that he knew, but his gaze didn't rest until he found the one that mattered. 

  
         Alexis.


	12. Make it a double

**CHAPTER  TWELVE**

   
         Carly was like a little girl with a new toy. In a way, Sonny guessed that the club was a new toy for her. Anything that kept her occupied and out of trouble was a good thing, he supposed. And Carly with to much time on her hands was always trouble. 

         She'd spotted him as soon as he'd come into the room and had rushed forward to greet him …it  was an easy thing to let her take him by the hand, chattering excitedly as she showed him all the club had to offer. The dining area off the lounge on one end, and the glassed in sunroom lounge on the other. All her clumsy attempts at double entendres and suggestive remarks he let go, deliberately pretending not to understand the meaning behind her suggestions and ever increasingly obvious offers.   
  


         He thought he'd saw a glimpse of Alexis as they moved around the edges of the crowds, but he couldn't be sure, and Carly made a point of her determination to keep his attention on her. The tour ended at the far end of the bar, where Carly ordered two glasses of champagne. Sonny accepted it and made a toast. "To a job well done, Carly." They touched glasses.   
  
         "When I put my mind to something, I make it work." Carly said. She moved closer to him, close enough so that he could smell her perfume. It was one he'd bought for her the second time he'd married her. He'd liked it well enough at the time...it was expensive, and Sonny had known the price and fancy brand name alone would appeal to Carly, never mind the scent. But she'd laid it on a little too thick tonight and the scent was overpowering. "Just like you Sonny, I make it work, and I make it mine." She paused and then leaned up against him boldly. "Sometimes it takes a little time, but one of the things you taught me was to have patience. 'All good things comes to those who wait.'" she quoted one of his own favorite sayings at him.   
 

Sonny looked at her, unsure how to react. What was she thinking? What was he doing here? Maybe it was the fact that they still had their son to consider. Sonny would never walk away from Michael. His son would never know the pain of losing him. There was a part of him that still longed for the family they once were. There were still nights when he'd awaken, thinking he heard the sound of his son's laughter. The happy sounds of their family at meals or on trips to the park. They echoed through the now-lonely spaces of his penthouse, mocking him with all that he once had.   
  
         But Carly was volatile, and while he was doing his best to wean her away from him, the cost of making a clean break might be his son. That's why he'd encouraged her in the idea of the club, even if Jasper Jax  was her financial backer. It kept Carly occupied, and in Port Charles. Without it, without him, she might decide in a fit of spite to take Michael and disappear. And he wasn't going to allow that to happen.   
  


But he'd had enough of Carly's ramblings for the moment. There had to be a way to get her off of him, if only for a little while. He needed a break…the combination of her going on and on about everything and anything, the effort of disregarding her unsubtle remarks, and the overpowering aroma of her over-utilized perfume had produced the shadow of a headache somewhere at the edges of his mind, waiting to be born. 

         The angels smiled on him. Jax was looking around the club, obviously searching for something, and as his eyes fell upon Carly, he began gesturing, trying to get her attention. He deliberately ignored Sonny, which was fine with him. Sonny touched Carly's arm, trying to keep a grimace from his face as she grabbed hold of his hand, showing no inclination of letting go. "Your partner looks like he needs you for something, Carly." Sonny said, untangling himself from her grip.   
  
         Carly pouted, something she thought was charming. Her red red lips smiled up at him. "Well, I just take care of him, then I'll come back and take care of you." She blew him a kiss before moving away. "And that's a promise."  
  
         "And that's a relief." Sonny murmured quietly as she disappeared into the crowd. He set the champagne flute down on the bar counter and gestured to the bartender. "Get me brandy. Neat – and make it a double."  
  
***  
         A flicker of movement from the corner of her eye, a flash of black hair…. There were other men there, Alexis thought to herself, with the same coloring that Sonny had. Other men in sleek dark suits….she was _not_ going to spend half the evening looking to see just when Sonny made an entrance. She forced her gaze onto the dance floor, turning her eyes determinedly away from the entrance. In the mass of people on the dance floor, she picked out a long silky fall of bright auburn. As she watched, the song ended and Kristina and Ned began to make their way through the crowd back to their table.   
  
         Whatever qualms she might have had regarding her newfound sister and her ex-fiancée, she had to admit that the two of them looked very happy together. As improbable as it was, she was happy for the both of them.  Kristina was laughing as Ned handed her into her chair. She reached for her champagne flute and drained its contents.   
  
 "I give up…_no mas_!" She said, laughing at Ned's outstretched hand and shaking her head. "I need a moment to just breathe."   
  
Ned smiled down at her. "I thought your intentions were…and I quote: "To dance the night away?"   
  
 "I did…but I never said it would be non-stop."  
  
Ned turned to Alexis. "While your beautiful sister catches her breath, perhaps you'd care to hit the floor?"  
  
Alexis hesitated, but Kristina urged her on. "You're not going to sit here all night. Go on…Go!" She shooed them towards the dance floors, her eyes alight with laughter.  
  
 Half reluctantly, she took Ned's hand. He drew her to her feet and they moved off into the crowd. Finding a clear spot, they began to dance. The crowd on the dance floor forced them together, but after an awkward few moments, Alexis was happy – and more to the point – relieved --  to find that she felt nothing more than an old comfortableness dancing with Ned. She dared a look up at him to see the same relief in his eyes. They both smiled.  
  
 "I'm glad we can be friends too." Ned said.   
  
 "Me too, especially since it's obvious that you can still read me all too well." Alexis dared a full grin this time and was rewarded by one of his own. Her hand came up to rest easily on his shoulder, while his hand came up and rested lightly on her waist.   
  


 "As a friend, I was wondering if I could ask a favor of you?" Ned said, after a moment. Alexis hesitated, then nodded.   
  
 Ned came straight to the point. "Do you know anything about Sonny's plans as far as AJ and Courtney are concerned? For whatever reason, and I'm not going to ask, you're the only person that has any influence on Sonny these days.

         "Before you answer, I want you to know, that I want to find AJ as badly as you want to find Courtney. I don't have much use for him most of the time, but he's my cousin. I don't want him hurt… or worse…No Alexis…" Ned said as she opened her mouth to speak. He cut her off before she could say a word. "I know you're first instinct is to protect Sonny. I got that. But the truth of it is, you can't guarantee AJ's safety. This is his sister we're talking about. I remember how Sonny was back when Carly was carrying his child. Sonny is a fanatic about family. And now AJ is using his baby sister and Sonny knows it."  
  


 Alexis saw her chance. "AJ is not only using her, he's rubbing Sonny's nose in the fact."  
  
 "Exactly. And it's not the brightest or most subtle thing that my cousin has ever done. No one can predict Sonny's actions, especially if he finds them first, and in a worse case scenario."  
  


Alexis didn't want to think about worse case scenarios…. And she couldn't argue with Ned's logic, either.   
  
 "I've got men looking for them." Ned said. "We both know that Sonny does too. I'm not asking you to betray any confidences… but I am asking you that you please help me. If I find AJ and Courtney first, will you come with me while I try to talk some sense into AJ? Maybe you can talk to Courtney at the same time…make her see what her actions are going to push Sonny to."  
  
The music had changed while they were talking. Over Ned's shoulder, Alexis saw her nephew now dancing with Kristina. Catching her eye, he smiled at her and the couple began to make their way over to them. Ned caught her glance and turned to see Nikolas and Kristina headed in their direction. "Looks like my date is about to reclaim me." He said lightly.  
  
"And high time she did." Alexis said. Her expression sobered. "I meant what I said, Ned. I am happy for the two of you. As strange as that may sound."  
  
 "It's not strange at all.. It's who you are and one of things I loved…love about you. But about what we were talking about…I am sorry to press but…." Ned's voice trailed off.   
  
 "I understand perfectly… one gatekeeper to another." Alexis sighed. "It never seems to get easier, does it? I'll do what I can."


	13. Private Dancer

**CHAPTER THIRTEEN**

         Once she'd be persuaded onto the dance floor, it seemed that Alexis couldn't find her way off of it. First Ned, then Nikolas, then it seemed as though her dance card had been magically filled. As the hours passed, so did several glasses of champagne. Several dance partners, and it was a small shock that Alexis realized that so much time had passed and even more surprising, that she was actually having fun. 

         The music changed to a decidedly Latin beat; her current partner was man she'd done business for, a prominent businessman named Mason Lane. He was dark haired and dark eyed, and Alexis could half-way convince herself that she didn't find him attractive because of a very superficial resemblance to another dark haired, dark eyed man whose eyes burned intensely into hers and had stolen her heart. He was smiling and laughing for no reason at all…and when she asked him why, he replied that it was only the pleasure of her company that made the dance so enjoyable. He insisted on dancing with her in the Latin manner, even going so far as to dip her, but she found herself not minding. The music was in her veins now, as well as the champagne, and she laughed aloud as he whirled her about the dance floor. Encouraged by her response, he spun her out from him and back again, this time pulling her far too close, but for some reason, none of that mattered. When she didn't protest, he swung her away from him again. 

         Instead of swinging back into Mason's arms, another hand took hers and drew her in the opposite direction, away from her partner. The unexpected turn left Alexis disoriented and for a moment the room seemed to whirl around on it's own axis. But the strong arm around her waist steadied her even as the hand holding hers tightened its grip. Then a pair of sable-dark eyes were gazing laughingly into hers. 

            "What are you doing, Sonny?" Alexis demanded, even as Sonny deftly maneuvered her deeper into the crowd. Before she could react, a stunned Mason was quickly lost to view.

"It looks like I'm dancing, Alexis." His arm tightened around her waist to hold her close. "Wanna join me?"

"I don't know if I do." But her body did, it knew what it wanted. Without conscious thought, her body began moving in sync with his. Sonny saw that too and his smile widened. As he did, the music slowed; the lights blurred down to a gentle darkened aqua, reminiscent of ocean waves and tropical nights. The liquid notes of a Spanish guitar filled the air, followed closely by a throbbing bass line. Despite herself, the music slid deeper into her veins… and wrapped itself around her heart. 

"Sure you do…C'mon"...he said in his best little boy coaxing voice…"C'mon, Alexis." He leaned in close enough so that his breath tickled her cheek. "Live dangerously."  
  


She smiled tentatively. "Seems I've heard that somewhere before."

Her body did fit naturally with his, and they danced smoothly and silently together. The dim lights made the people around them little more than slow moving shifting shadows and it was as though they were all alone in a sea of shifting shadows. Sonny's eyes caught Alexis' and held them and is was as though nothing else existed around them. They moved together to the sway of the music like it was the most natural thing in the world, and it was just as natural that when the music ended that Sonny turned and led her through a pair of nearby French double doors. Sonny closed the doors behind them, then loosed a tie to one side of the doors that caused a pair of sheer drapes to drift down and cover them. Now the music was muted, and beyond the half sheer fabric, the crowd and the club proper could still be seen, but dimly, as though through a dream. 

There was a table close at hand, draped with a velvet tablecloth, it was carefully set: a bottle nestled in a silver bucket, alongside a small covered dish, all of it embraced by a wreath of gardenias. Sonny smiled as he gestured at the bottle. "Unless you've had too much tonight."

Alexis shook her head, pretending to a casualness she didn't feel. "I could handle another glass." She glanced her way, willing her gaze away from Sonny. It was all too easy to get caught up watching him as he moved about. Another set of doors lay at the opposite end of the room and Alexis wandered over to them. There was a garden beyond, cloaked in deep blue shadows. Alexis stared out the glassed doors into the darkness, not trusting herself to speak. After all, what in the world would she say?

         Sonny came up behind her. She knew it without turning, felt the heat of his body and the scent of him. She shivered and it wasn't just from the chill in the room. Unexpectedly she felt the warmth of Sonny's jacket as he slipped it over her shoulders. His hands lingered on her shoulders for a moment. "This is going to be an open-air dining area when the weather permits." He flipped a switch and in the gardens beyond, a fountain sprang into life, sending cascades of water into the air, subtly colored by lights in its base. He handed Alexis her glass. A shiver passed through her as their fingers touched. 

         "Are you cold?" Before she could answer, Sonny was draping his jacket over her bare shoulders. His fingers lingered as they brushed against her skin. She snuggled into it instinctively, savoring the scent of him that clung to it. Alexis smiled and sipped at her glass. 

           
         "Rum?" Alexis was pleased and surprised all at once.   
  
         "You like rum." Sonny said. "I remember one night when you liked it very much."  
  
         "And you just had to remind me of that." She said dryly.   
  
         "You were cute." One eyebrow arched at her and the dimples flashed in full effect.  
  
         "Cute?"   
  


         "Sure. Dancing in the fountain, letting your hair down. I saw a side of Alexis Davis that I'd never seen before."  
  


         Alexis turned back to the gardens, her face suddenly flaming hot as she blushed with the memory of that night. "And the gods willing, you'll never see her again."

         The soft brush of flower petals caressed her cheek. Sonny had come up behind her and brushed the gardenia down from her cheek to the long lean curve of her throat. "I liked her. I want to get to know all the sides of Alexis Davis." He began to let the soft blossom glide back up along the side of her throat and down again in a gentle rhythm. "Inside…  outside, all sides…."  
  
   Alexis turned to face him, all too conscious of the gardenia's path along her skin. Sonny drew the gardenia across the soft line of her jaw and let it slowly, sensuously slip down… it brushed against her, petal soft, whisper soft, heart-beat soft. It brushed against her collarbone and came to rest at the pulse point at her throat and lingered there, like a silken kiss.   
  
         "How _sweet._ Am I interrupting?"  
  
****  
  
**  
         **Carly's voice was filled with a mix of fury and satisfaction. She stood in the doorway, looking over the scene.  Her eyes blazed as she took in the scene – the bottle of rum, the flowers and the intimacy of the moment. "Well, well, it seems I _am_ interrupting."  She stepped into the room. "Excuse me, but this part of the club is still closed. Which means nobody should be here…" Her eyes went straight to Alexis as she finished her sentence then deliberately turned away, dismissing her.  "I was looking for you, Sonny. To tell you that AJ just walked into the club. With Courtney."  
  
         Sonny stiffened in anger. Alexis wasn't surprised at his reaction as he walked, stiff-backed and swift with fury, with barely a single glance in her direction from the room. Alexis understood…where Courtney was concerned; Sonny's reactions had been over the top since he'd discovered the existence of his younger sister. But his caring, as genuine as it had been since he'd learned about her, was a dangerous thing. As competent and cool-headed as Sonny might be in business, when it came to Courtney, he lost control. She'd already talked him down from taking any heavy handed actions involving Courtney more than once. With AJ present, it was fuel poured on the fire. Alexis shook her head slightly. She'd better hurry and make sure something didn't happen tonight. 

         Alexis moved towards the door, but as she passed Carly, the younger woman grabbed her by the arm. "Stay out of it, Alexis. This is family business for Sonny. Which means you got no business here, Alexis." Carly sneered at her "I told you earlier, I knew why you came tonight, to sniff behind Sonny."  
  
         Alexis looked down at Carly's hand on her own. When she raised her eyes back up to Carly, her dark eyes held a glint in them that Carly had never seen before. Without thinking, she let her arm go. "Why don't you tend to your business, Carly, and I'll tend to mine." Alexis said; a sliver of steel had crept into her voice, one that Carly had never heard before. She flushed as she realized that Alexis had frightened her, but tried to cover it up with a show of bravado. 

         "Sonny is _my_ business, not yours." 

         Alexis had held her tongue time and time before, for Sonny's sake. Ordinarily, Alexis wouldn't bother to get into a battle of words with Carly. To engage in a battle of wits with this woman was an unfair battle and Alexis knew that Carly simply wasn't worth her time or energy. But suddenly, she was tired of letting this bratty little harpy get away with her incessant insults and rude innuendoes. "That was true, once upon a time, Carly. But not anymore. Not after you betrayed Sonny. Your marriage is over. He threw you out of the penthouse and out of his life. You're not Mrs. Corinthos anymore. I know that because I drew up the papers myself." 

         "And I bet you couldn't get them filed quick enough. I called it from the beginning…you were always after Sonny. And now you think you got him."  
  
         "You're exhibiting your normal lack of judgment, Carly. You were wrong then, about Sonny and I."  
  
         "And now?" Carly challenged.   
  
         "Now is _my_ business. And Sonny's. But not yours." Her words stunned Carly into silence and for once, an argument with her was all worth it. Carly didn't have an answer  -- and to see her speechless was priceless. Her mouth closed and opened more than once, and she looked like a fish out of water as she fumbled for words that wouldn't come. 

         Finally, Carly gave up. She turned around and furiously stomped out of the room. Alexis watched her leave before heading for the door slowly. She paused by the table and let her fingers run along the petals of the gardenias left on the table. Then she walked into the main club area. 


	14. Good Morning Heartache

**CHAPTER FOURTEEN  
**   
  
         Just as she expected, Alexis walked back into the main club area and into to a scene she'd rather not see. Sonny was at the base of the steps leading down into the club, glaring up at AJ. Courtney was there, clutching AJ's arm, looking half-frightened but half defiant, like a wise-eyed bedraggled kitten facing an older tom-cat…almost hissingly rebellious in the face of her older brother's anger. And there was Carly, right by Sonny's side, putting herself in the middle of it, elbows flailing, lips working furiously as she railed at her ex-husband. Her desire to put herself anywhere in Sonny's concerns was sickening to watch.  
  
         In spite of herself, it was Sonny that mattered most to Alexis, of course. She could read his body language all too well, from the rigid jaw to clenched fist.  Did AJ realize just how close he was to starting something he might not be able to finish? She didn't think so…he tried to hide it but the sheen of self-satisfaction in his eyes virtually glowed in his eyes. He knew Sonny's weaknesses almost as well as she did. Courtney was a major one. Trading barbs and insults with Carly as just icing on the cake.   
  
         Alexis couldn't hear the words, but did she really need to? No…it was too achingly familiar. Sonny looked set to explode. Carly as usual, had put herself square in the middle of things and her presence was doing nothing more aggravate the entire situation. And suddenly, Alexis was tired of it all. A dull, throbbing ache spread outward from her heart, draining all energy from her and leaving a gaping hole where her heart once was.   
  
         She leaned against the doorway and sighed. The clock had struck midnight and prince charming had turned back into the toad. Or did he lose his slipper? There had always been something about north american fairy tales she'd never quite been able to grasp. Alexis wanted nothing more to leave, but the protective part of her looked around the seething crowd but saw no signs of Kristina. She didn't want to leave without letting her sister know. But she couldn't stay here much longer.  
  
         But suddenly, somehow, Jax was at her side. Wordlessly, he slipped an arm around her shoulder and Alexis gratefully leaned into his solid comforting strength. Inexplicably and totally against her will, a sudden sting of tears threatened to blind her vision. She blinked furiously trying to will her tears away. Her throat was too tight to do more than whisper. "I can not do this now." She murmured.   
  
         Jax looked down at her. "Then don't." He fished in his pocket for a moment. "I have to baby-sit the club until it closes, but I want you to go to the yacht. Stay as long as you want, do what you want. Scream, shout, break things…there's even a shelf full of popcorn…" his heart burned in rage as he watched Alexis try and smile up at him through the shield of pain surrounding her. "And a bar stocked with Stoli  -just the best for my special guests, mind you -- and whatever else you want."  Jax beckoned to one of his men. "Jackson, Can you see Ms. Davis to my yacht, please. Use the side exit door from the main office to ensure her privacy."   
  
         The headwaiter smiled sympathetically and nodded. "Right away, Mr. Jacks."  
  
         "But Kristina…." She began.She couldn't just leave without a word to her sister…  
  
         "You can't be the gatekeeper all the time, Alexis." Jax told her. "Sometimes, you have to let someone else take care of you. Let me do that for you. I hate to see an ex-wife so down." His banter brought a slight smile to her face, but he knew that it wasn't real. Jax ached for her. He watched as Alexis shrugged off Sonny's jacket and handed it to Jax.   
  
         "Could you see that he gets this back?" she asked. "I know you would rather not."  

         Even as she asked, her eyes dropped down from his and the gesture pained him. "I'll take care of everything, Alexis." Jax assured her.  He'd take care of anything that mattered to her, and not only because there was no one else to do it. Corinthos was no where worthy of her trust, even if she couldn't see that just yet. "You go and take care of yourself." 

         He watched as his maitre d' escorted Alexis through the corridor leading to the offices out back. After she'd disappeared, Jax beckoned to several of his waiters. "Let's get this mess cleaned up and the party moving." He forced a smile onto his face. "It's opening night, isn't it?"  
         

 It took more than a few minutes but they managed to get everyone to neutral corners and the music to start playing again.Jax signaled the dj to get the music jumping once again and somehow managed to get the crowd turned their attention back to the party, but the hum of conversation guaranteed that the highlight of the night would not be the opening itself, as he had hoped. _Damn Corinthos_, Jax thought. Carly had taken advantage of their confrontaino with her ex-husband and pulled Sonny over to a table on the far side of the room. Sonny was still glowering, not that Jax gave a damn. Why did he have to even come here tonight? Everywhere he went, trouble followed. AJ, as equally bull-headed, had refused to leave but had taken a table on this side. Courtney was still with him; but her eyes kept straying over to the table where her brother sat.   
         Jax turned to the bar and ordered a shot of schnapps.  He downed it in one swift movement, cursing Corinthos again as he swallowed.  
  
         "Where is she?" The hated but all-too-familiar voice intruded rudely into his thoughts.  
  


Jax jerked his head  around and glared at Sonny. "She's not here, Corinthos. The last thing she wanted to do was stay and watch the circus. You know…you, your wife, your sister and company."  
  


Sonny said nothing in reply. Looking into his eyes, Jax could see him mentally shrug and begin to turn away and the unspoken dismissal infuriated him. "Do you know why, Corinthos?" Jax grabbed him by the arm and swung him back around. Sonny jerked free instantly, but stood there, stone faced as Jax continued.                           
         "Do you even care? The truth of it is that Alexis couldn't bear to stand here any longer and watch you and the trouble you bring. Your private life is just as explosive as your public life, Sonny. How can you subject a woman like Alexis to your constant barrage of baggage? Your life is garbage and she deserves so much better…she is so high above you.. You can't even aspire to touch the soles of her shoes…and she deserves better than having you insinuate yourself into her life…after all she's been through, doesn't she at least deserve some peace?" 

In the face of Sonny's continued silence, Jax swept the jacket up from the back of the nearby chair and flung it in Sonny's face.. "She left this behind. I hope she has the sense to do the same to you."  
  
         Sonny caught his jacket in one clenched hand and at last, the stone façade of Corinthos' mask cracked. For a moment. His eyes blazed as they stared into Jax's. Their rivalry had been along one of longstanding enmity and his friendship with Alexis had only strengthened their mutual hatred. 

"What Alexis chooses or doesn't choose, is not up to you, Jax." Sonny said, his voice, low and controlled, and in definite opposition to the fire in his eyes. 

"…but I get you...you'd do anything to keep her from making any choices that you don't agree with."  
  
         "If you mean any choices that exclude you from her life, then you couldn't be more right, Corinthos. You're poison. You destroy any and everything you touch.  And I'll protect Alexis from you anyway I can. You think you know her, but you don't. She thinks she knows you, but she doesn't. But I won't let you destroy her in the process. You can't help yourself…I understand that about you. You have a self-destructive streak in you… the life you've chosen is one that doesn't cherish life.. But I won't let you choose that life for Alexis as well."  
  


Sonny couldn't help himself. "And if she makes her own choices…how does that sit with you?"

            "She'd never choose _you_, Corinthos. _Never_."


	15. Yin & Yang

**CHAPTER FIFTEEN  
         yin and yang  
  
**

_"She'd never choose* you*, Corinthos. Never."_

_   
         _Jax's words echoed in his mind, as they had all through the long hours of the remainder of the night. Sonny got up from the couch and paced the floor of his penthouse living room for the umpteenth time. The club had closed hours ago and there'd been no sign of Alexis since Carly had insinuated herself in the glassed in dining room

 Alexis wasn't home. He knew. He knew from the self satisfied smirk on Jax's face that Alexis had fled the club. And even as he knocked on the door of her penthouse, he knew she wasn't there. He could feel it; it was an emptiness in the air that told him so. But he'd knocked anyway. He'd sent the guard on his door down to the lobby, and even though  the report from the lobby had been that Alexis hadn't been seen since she'd left for the club with her sister, he found himself going to the door. Once or twice, he'd even gone so far as to open the door, as if staring at the door across the hall would somehow will Alexis into appearing.   

_Where was she?_ _Who was she with? Who had she turned to, since it obviously wasn't him?_ His mind envisioned one scenario after the other and none of them were good. Jax was the obvious conclusion. He'd been her husband. And something in Sonny was forced to admit to his belief that marriage was a thing that was sacred. Even if it were between friends. It meant that Jax and Alexis shared a connection….and Jax had been a friend and confidant of Alexis' long before he, Sonny, had ever had the good luck to become involved in her life. What if she allowed himself to be a confidant again. What if she had turned to him in her pain… he refused to allow his mind to even finish the thought. Even so, his mind threatened to spiral downward towards a dark mood. Jax had to know Alexis better than he, Sonny, did….or did he? It was a question that Sonny couldn't answer. That was not something Sonny was used to. The downward pull strengthened and his mind darkened…he never knew how to fight this great sucking wound that would threaten to suck him in a moment's notice.  It frayed the edges of his soul – not that Sonny would ever admit that aloud.   
  
         ***  
  


Another soul close by was feeling just as frayed as his, if only he'd known it. Alexis stepped into the elevator and punched at the buttons, grateful for the closeness and silence of the elevator as the polished chrome doors slid shut with a sibilant hiss. All she wanted right now, was her own bed. And sleep – dreamless, restful sleep.  
  
         _Slipping on a fresh shirt and running pants  from his closet– her own was the worse for wear -  with dawn only less than an hour away, Alexis paused after fastening the last button on her borrowed shirt, to look down at the man still sleeping. Jax had come home, still high on the success of opening night. She'd let his own enthusiasm carry her along. After all, she'd had enough time alone on the yacht to face her own heartache and jumbled thoughts. Too much in fact. Once Jax's maitre'd had left her, she'd stripped the gown from her body and changed into a set of clothes she'd always kept on the yacht. She couldn't strip her mind of thought so easily…Her mind had only managed to go round and round in circles and she didn't like where it kept returning. So it was easy enough to join Jax In one toast, and then another and another… the man who had held her in his arms without asking any questions, without judging her. He had just been there for her and that had been enough. The last remnants of a bottle of a rare vintage of a French burgundy wine sat on a nearby table, with less than an inch remaining in it. That explained the throbbing at her temples and the red stain on her silk blouse, but not the throbbing ache in her heart. There wasn't enough wine in the world to erase it.  
           
         _Alexis stepped off the elevator gratefully, key already in hand. She slipped it into the lock and turned the key.  It didn't turn. Alexis sighed aloud. It was stuck again.

"Need some help with that?"  
  
         Alexis turned and looked at him. Sonny, still dressed in the clothes from the night before, was looking as rumpled and wrinkled as she felt. His normally well controlled hair had slipped loose of his control sometime during the night; a few errant curls had slipped down across his brow. He looked as though he had gotten as little sleep as she had.  The small smile on his face looked almost forced,  threatening to slip away even as it was formed… and was that a new sadness in his eyes?

Before she could answer, Sonny was crossing the hallway to her. His hand slid over hers as he reached for the key, his fingers warm and strong as they curled around her own. She had to control her instinctive reaction as her heart leapt at his touch. But she couldn't let that matter to her like that. She was just too tired of everything. 

Alexis walked into the apartment. Everything was still and quiet in the pre-dawn silence. A glance at her desk showed her answering machine's memo button blinked like a tiny red beacon. Not trusting herself to look at Sonny, she crossed over to it, tossing her bag and the shirt down beside it before hitting the play button. She hit the play button and Kristina's voice began to talk. 

"Hi Alexis, it's me, Kristina… but I guess you know that already. Anyway, I couldn't find you in the club, but it was such a madhouse, I figured this would be the best way to keep you from worrying. Ned and I have decided to jet down to New York City to catch this really cool band playing in a little after-hours joint in lower Manhattan. We've got a clue that they just might be the next big thing, and if we can get them for L&B Records, I'll be back in the morning.. I promise. Don't be mad, I'll bring you back some NY bagels and the Jamaican beef patties that you're crazy about but won't tell anyone about. Don't worry, I'll tell Ned they're for me."She laughed a goodbye and the machine beeped to signal the end of the message.    
  


            Knowing Sonny was standing behind her, Alexis found herself reluctant to turn around. One part of her was glad as always to help him, to wipe away the hurt she thought she'd sensed in his eyes when she'd turned to see him standing there in his doorway. But another part of her wanted nothing more than to crawl upstairs to her bed and seek a dreamless rest. Using anything to put off the moment when she'd have to turn and face him, Alexis slowly shrugged out of her coat.   
  
            Sonny hesitated, seeing the tiredness in the every line of her body as she stood at her desk. He was so used to keeping everything hid inside, that his expression never changed, but inside, he felt bad; Alexis looked so weary when she'd seen him in the hallway. Maybe he should have just left her alone… she clearly wasn't wanting company. But he knew he couldn't leave things the way they had been between them last night.  He hadn't even thought about  her once the thought of Courtney being in the club with AJ had entered his mind. But he wanted to make it right with her. He'd left Alexis without a second thought, and that had been wrong. He'd been wrong…He searched for the words to tell her so, but they eluded him. 

            So the two of them stood there, wrapped in an awkward silence.   
  


            "I'm sorry." The words sounded inadequate, even to his own ears. "It's just that when Carly gets like that…" His voice trailed off helplessly. How could he explain how things were between Carly and himself, when he couldn't explain it to himself?  Sonny's eyes fell, suddenly unwilling to face Alexis'. 

             His gaze froze as it fell upon the desk. A white hot wave of emotion seared through him. The sight of her crumpled blouse answered his questions. Even the ones he hadn't dared ask.

"There;s no need for any explanations at all, Sonny." Alexis answered. "We're all adults, and the choices we make, well, are the choices we make..." Alexis turned at last, her heart heavy, but finally ready to face him and the truth of the matter. She expected to see the truth about his feelings about Carly in his eyes. What she saw was Sonny looking not at her, but at her desk. Her eyes followed his gaze to the jumble of her blouse and her purse. Even as she lifted her eyes to his, she knew, suddenly, what she would see now. And she was right. Whatever she thought she'd seen his eyes earlier, was fading away and shifting into a stubborn opacity that blanketed any emotion he might be feeling. 

But for once, Alexis was feeling just as stubborn. She steeled herself against anything – no everything – her errant heart might be telling her. Face it, this was the reality. Sonny could say what he liked….but when Carly called, he went running. He might not like to admit it, but it was there…she'd had that fact shoved into her face one too many times.  _Enough_…and with that thought in her mind, she met his gaze as coolly and as calmly as his now glacial and carefully neutral eyes met hers. Never mind if she was crumbling inside. She steeled herself against any impulsive response. Once upon a time, not so very long ago, Alexis would have known that he was hiding behind his carefully uncaring gaze and she would have made Sonny talk it out. She was good at that…and they were close enough that she could do it, break through his walls like no one else could do. , and she knew that something was behind that dark gaze that was focused on her. But at this moment, she simply did not have the energy left for anything but herself. And herself wanting nothing more than to drag herself upstairs and into her bed….anything to get from under Sonny's gaze. The part of her that wanted to open up to  him, to be as honest as they always were with one another, that thread was still binding them together… but the hurt was there now too… it was too fresh, too raw...and Alexis just didn't know if she could deal with anything more at this moment.

Alexis never knew how much she hurt him. What he saw was Alexis armoring herself against him…something she'd never done before. That was new. And it hurt. It hurt a lot. Too much, in fact. Sonny turned and walked out of the penthouse door.   
  
            Alexis stared almost unbelievingly at the door as it closed behind Sonny with a soft click. She shook her head, her emotions all in a jumble, then walked tiredly to and then up the stairs to bed.   
  
            ****  
  
            Kristina returned home early that afternoon, in her usual whirlwind manner. She came through the door, bursting with energy and enthusiasm, full of her impromptu trip to NYC. But she came home to find a tired Alexis sitting at her desk.  
            "What's wrong, Alexis?" she asked, drawing nearer to her sister and looking down into her face. Somehow, as always, she knew her sister too well. "The last time I saw you last night, you  were dancing with Sonny…and looking very happy…"   Comprehension dawned. "what happened between you and him?"

"Kristina…"  Alexis was really too tired to even question how it was that Kristina had come instantly to the right conclusion.  
  
            "It was Carly, wasn't it?" Kristina asked. "I don't like feeling this way about anyone, but I knew from the first time I sensed her aura, I knew she was a disruptive influence."

_Disruptive influence…_ That was putting it mildly. Alexis couldn't help but thinking. Arguing with Kristina could be exhausting on a good day and Alexis knew that this was definitely not a good day…. and she just didn't have it in her to dissemble further. "It wasn't _just_ Carly, Kristina."  _No it was Carly and AJ and Courtney and yes, maybe even Jax. And last but not least, it was Sonny himself. That was definitely more than just Carly._

"You were happy with Sonny...you two have kindred auras…. You bring center and calm to his explosiveness, he brings a light to your innermost self….  you're yin to his yang." 

That comment struck too close to home for comfort. Over the past year, Alexis had come to believe exactly that, though she'd never put it into words…they finished each other's sentences and shared each other's silences and everything in-between. If that didn't signify some sort of bond between them, she didn't know what did. But her tiredness and dejection had left her brittle and easily upset. She snapped some reply at Kristina, she didn't even know what she said, but neither did she stick around to hear her reply. In a very un-Alexis like move, she ran up the stairs to her room and slammed the door behind her. She went into her bathroom and splashed some water on her face. A few minutes later, she headed back downstairs.

Kristina stared dumbfounded at the stairs. The sound of a door slamming heightened her confusion. It was so uncharacteristic of Alexis to run away from everything….except her own feelings of course. If Alexis was said to have a fault, it would be that. A knock sounded on the door, and still dumbfounded by Alexis' actions, Kristina went unthinking to the door and opened it. Sonny stood there. Kristina smiled slightly, and stood aside silently and let him in.

Alexis' voice came from upstairs, drawing closer with every word. "I really am sorry, Kristina, I guess I'm more tired than I thought. I didn't sleep well, and yes, before you tell me, it had everything to do with you-know-who."

Sonny and Kristina looked at one another. He held up a finger to his lips and somehow, Kristina knew that staying quiet was the right thing to do.

Alexis continued talking. "You're wrong about the yin and yang thing though. Carly is the yang to his yin. He reacts to everything she does. She knows it and she uses it every chance she gets. And why shouldn't she, it works. It's funny in a way, though. He knows that I care about  him, but after the misunderstanding we had this morning, he probably thinks that I ran out to have sex with another man. Either to prove that I don't have feelings for him, or else to get back at him for what he had..or hadn't done. That's a typical Carly move… But I couldn't sleep with Jax… or any other man…that was the furthest thing from my mind. Because God help me, or bless me for it…" 

Alexis came to the bottom of the stairs, and turned the corner to find herself staring into Sonny's sable eyes. Her shock in seeing him just standing there stopped her from having the wit to stop the words still coming from her mouth. "The only man I care about…the only man I want is……Sonny."


	16. The Walls of Jericho

CHAPTER SIXTEEN  
  
  
            "Kristina, you might want to give us some privacy." Sonny said to her quietly, never taking his eyes from Alexis'.  
  
            "Not a problem." Kristina grinned a little grin at the two of them before heading for the stairs..   
  


Alexis stood where she was when she'd come down the stairs, a stunned expression still on her face. _He'd heard her...he'd heard every word she'd said…_ For a long moment she couldn't move. Then instinct took over… without thinking, she headed towards the safety of her desk.

Before she could take more than two steps, Sonny's hand was on her arm, turning her around. Instinct took over again; and as the best defense was a good offense, Alexis led with that. "What do you want…why are you here, Sonny?"

She was talking to him at least. Sonny thought with relief he didn't know he'd had inside before now. But it was there…and so were the hard questions Alexis had put to him. Which was so typically her. She wanted honesty – she'd get honesty.  "I had to be sure that you were okay."

"I'm fine."  
  


"No you're not."  
  


"And you're so sure of this… because?"

So, the walls were firmly in place. It was going to be a battle to knock them down…he'd never been afraid of a fight before now. Sonny took a deep breath. "Because I hurt you tonight." 

Alexis was silent... astonished was probably more closer to it. He was feeling pretty much stunned himself. Sonny took a second deep breath and slid his hand down to grab hers. His next words stunned her even more, for their honesty. "I was thinking of anyone but myself. But hurting you was the last thing I wanted to do."  
  
            "But you did." Alexis' voice was light almost whispery, as the truth escaped her lips in spite of herself. "And it's because of _her._"

"It's not about her…well not really." Sonny fumbled for words. "It's about Courtney and AJ…it's about my family…my sister…and then there's Michael…"

"…and his mother." Alexis finished his sentence. "And that means Carly."

"It's complicated, Alexis."

"We both lead 'complicated' lives Sonny. What else is new?" She gently disentangled her hand from his. "And I've come to the conclusion that there's always going to be an "…but Carly."  
  
            "You're wrong." He pulled her to him to show her just how wrong she was. The hand holding hers snaked around her waist. He smiled slowly at her. "C'mere and let me prove it to you." Sonny brushed his lips against hers.

Her response surprised him when she didn't respond. "No, Sonny." and when he didn't react quick enough, she repeated it more strongly. "I said, no." 

Alexis tamped down her feelings, an old skill she was used to. A survivor technique actually. She'd learned early on when she'd come to live at the Cassidine compound in Greece, not to let her feelings, especially the deeply emotional ones, show. It usually resulted in pain. So Sonny never saw the reaction just he touch could evoke in her. She'd learned to replace her emotions with either ice or anger and it was anger that served her now. "Is that your plan?" she said roughly, pulling away. "Is that how you kept control over Carly? In case you hadn't noticed, I'm not her."

"I know who you are…and don't you think I know that you are nothing like Carly!"  
  
            "No, I'm not. So you can't browbeat me, you can't kiss me into submission and you can't send me to my room! You can't control me, Sonny!"

"I'm not trying to control you."

"Aren't you, Mr. Control Freak?" 

Sonny was beginning to lose his own temper. "Take a look in the mirror; you should know all about control freaks...you're one yourself! You're trying to control this entire situation. The truth is - you're trying to control how you feel about me…and why? Because you do care…and you can't control that and that scares you!"

Alexis wasn't faking her anger anymore….it was all too real. He'd tried to treat her like…like Carly! Worse yet, she _had_ responded to his touch. From the moment his hand had touched hers, her heart had responded, her pulse had quickened and it had taken everything in her not to respond to the simple touch of his lips against hers. And he was right…she couldn't control her feelings for him… "And Mr. All knowing, all-mighty Corinthos knows it all."

"I know _you, _Alexis."

"And I know you. You say you and Carly are over, but who was it that came in the garden room tonight and pushed your buttons. More importantly, who allowed it?"

"No matter what I say, you're not going to believe it! Because you're afraid to let go"

"Just like you're afraid to let go of Carly." Alexis fired right back. "I'm not going to let myself get caught in the crossfire."

Was he wrong about Alexis? Had he assumed that he meant so much to her? Suddenly he couldn't read her…He wasn't used to feeling uncertain about anyone, especially a woman. Tantrums he could deal with, mind games, schemes and lies he was used to. But this he wasn't used to a woman he cared about standing toe to toe and telling him about himself. Challenging him to look at himself….Sonny didn't like it...but he didn't know how to defend himself. Alexis had thrown him off balance. 

"Fine!"  His confusion reverted into anger. "I never thought the day would come that I'd see you behave like such a coward – but if you want to keep lying to yourself and me, don't let me keep you from it!" Frustrated and angry more at himself than Alexis, Sonny slammed out of the apartment.

            _Of all the pig headed, arrogant_…Alexis flung herself after him. He thought he could call her a liar and a coward and just walk away? Well, he was about to find out different… He might be finished, but she was nowhere _near_ finished with him. 

            Sonny was halfway through his door when Alexis' door crashed open. He spun around. And the two of them stood glaring at each other in the hallway. 

            Johnny had returned to his post once Alexis had returned home. That might have been a mistake. He took one look at the both of them and discretely rang for the elevator. Time for a short ride, he was thinking. Maybe a long one. Maybe he'd hang around in the lobby with Max for awhile. Now would be a good time to pay a visit. A very good time. The more he thought about it, the better it sounded. Luckily for him, neither one of them appeared to have noticed that he was even present.   
  
            Momentarily – he wasn't. Johnny heaved a heartfelt sigh of relief as the elevator doors slid shut.

            Alexis ignored Johnny. She was too busy entertaining a fantasy of throwing a shoe across the hall. Perhaps it would knock some sense into a certain arrogant somebody.

            Sonny Barely registered  the bodyguard's presence or his disappearance in the elevator. He was too busy enjoying the thought of shaking some sense into a certain stubborn someone. Then she was yelling at him. 

"This is not about me being a coward or a liar…and for your information…neither of which I am…This is about your insane need to control everything – your feelings, my feelings…stop trying to control everything!"  
  


            "If you would just admit how you felt! YOU stop trying to control everything!"  
  


            "No that's you!!" they both shouted at the same time. 

            At this point they're just barely hearing each other, because now they're shouting at the same time. If they weren't both so furious at themselves and one another, they'd be laughing. What was this, their first spat?

            "I'm not trying to control you," Sonny yelled at her, having lost any patience he had left. _Of all the obstinate, stubborn women he has ever met, how is it that all of a sudden she has the power to put his feelings all in a jumble??_… "I just want to be with you…"  
  
            "So I can be some poor substitution for the real thing?? No thanks!" He was stubborn, inflexible, and absolutely the most arrogant alpha-male she'd ever had the misfortune to meet! _Of all the insufferable, egotistical male attitudes that she'd ever seen in her life…God help her, she must be insane to be attracted to a man like this…_

            "There's no one else in my life like you and there never has been! I want to be with you -- because I need you!"

            "And I need you too!"

            _* slam *   
_  
            The sound of both doors slamming shut echoed in the suddenly empty hallway.   
  
            Time passed.  
  
            And then a door opened.  
  



	17. Complications

Complications

One door opened. Then the other. Two sets of eyes met across the empty spaces between them. And a silence waited to be broken.

"I think we just had our first lovers' quarrel."

"Lovers?"

"Well maybe technically, not yet ..but…"

"But…"

"But now we have to make up."

"That could be good."

"Hmmm…" 

"Trust me."

That brought forth the first smile between them today. "Always." 

"We need to talk ." A nod of assent followed the words. Relieved, Sonny, still standing in his doorway held out his hand. "Alexis?"  
  


Slowly, Alexis crossed over to Sonny. Why such a short distance felt so far, she didn't know. But when she stood before him, she hesitated. Something in her made Alexis stop to look deeply into his eyes. Sonny met her eyes unflinchingly…and what she saw forced her to let her heart's guard down… be honest. With him and herself. Forget what her mind said, her heart said differently.   
  


"I know." she said. After a long moment, she slowly placed her hand in his. Silently, his fingers tightened around hers. Alexis allowed Sonny to lead her inside. The door closed behind them, together they walked to the couch and sat down, facing each other. Another little silence sprang up between them, one that Sonny was the one to break. "Why is this so hard?" He asked her softly.  
  


"It's complicated." Alexis said and shrugged. "We're complicated people, Sonny. Maybe too complicated. And then there's Carly and Michael. And Courtney and AJ."  
  


"That's them – and they will all be dealt with, in their time. But that's all out there." Sonny gestured at the door. "But right here, right now, I'm talking about us." He hesitated for a moment…Sonny is a proud man, not one given to making apologies...but something that has been so important to him in the past has suddenly been relegated to a secondary position in his life. Having Alexis in his life has taught him lessons he'd never thought he'd had to learn. She'd forced him to accept her as an equal, first as business associates, then later as friends. He realized that she would accept no less of him, even now. And so he told her the truth. "I didn't mean to hurt you, Alexis. And I'm sorry."

She looked into his eyes. And it was like it always was; Alexis was able to see past the façade that Sonny normally presented to the rest of the world, but the one that he allowed only her within to see. The same, yet at the same time, different. This was deeper somehow, maybe because they were treading into new territories of their relationship never explored before. That thought sent a rush of emotions through her  and it was a dizzying and exhilarating feeling…. Maybe it was the fact that he wanted to have her see him just as he was. But nonetheless, it was clear and all too apparent to her. And she knew what those last three words cost him. And yet he did it_. For her_. "But the truth is, you did, Sonny. You did hurt me. And then I turned right around and hurt you, didn't I?" Unbidden, her eyes filled with unshed tears.

"Not on purpose." Sonny reached out and brushed a thumb gently along her cheekbone, wiping away the trace of moisture hovering  at the edges of her eyelashes   His heart swelled with an unexpected longing at this simplest touch. His heart struggled against his pride and his voice roughened with pent up and unexpected emotion. "I am what I am, Alexis. You know that. But I would never willingly or knowingly ever hurt you."

"You know we could be walking into a minefield with our eyes both open. Neither of us are simple people. We're complicated, with complicated lives."

"This doesn't have to be complicated. This can be as simple as we want it. I care about you – you care about me. Where we go from here is up to us. Or up to you."

Alexis looked away for a moment. "I don't know if I want that responsibility." His next words brought her eyes back to his face.

"What I mean is that we can take this as fast or as slow as you want or need it to be. We will, I promise. But it…_we _….are going to happen."

_He understood. _ Alexis was almost afraid to face that fact. Somehow, Sonny understood her need – for whatever the reason – to take this  - _whatever this was_ - slow. Her heart was so vulnerable; it could be hurt so easily. It had been a long time since she'd allowed herself to feel anything for anyone. And she'd told herself for the longest time that what she was feeling for Sonny Corinthos was all in her mind. So _how could he know?… _His declaration sent her heart to racing. "You're that sure of this?" she asked.

"I'd bet the house on it." 

"I thought you weren't a gambling man."

Was that a softening in her gaze and her words that he heard? Sonny took the chance that it was. "It's not a gamble…it's a sure thing. Let me prove it to you. How about lunch?" 

  
            "Sorry, I have a working lunch with another client…at Club 101, in fact." Sonny raised an eyebrow. "It was at my client's insistence, not mine's." Alexis said. "But the point I was making is that I do have other clients."  
  
            "Maybe I should remedy that situation." Sonny said, a teasing tone creeping into his words. "Eliminate the competition…"

"Don't you dare, Sonny!" For a moment, she'd believed him, until Alexis caught the mischievous gleam in his eyes. 

"All right. Fine, go ahead and meet with your other client or clients. See, your wish is my command." He said and grinned. "But am I not one of your clients? I need some attention too; some unexpected contract negotiations have come up and needs your immediate attention."  
  
            "And these unexpected urgent negotiations just suddenly came up, did they?" Alexis asked dryly. Sonny could be so blatantly obvious when he wanted something. But when what he so obviously wanted was her – how could she possibly be angry at him for that? 

"That's usually the case with unexpected urgent things…stuff happens unexpectedly." Sonny smiled and shrugged. He read Alexis easily and he knew she wasn't annoyed in the least little bit. "So how about a late lunch?" Sonny said. She shook her head, but Sonny thought he saw the shadow of a smile hovering on her lips. That only encouraged him; he grinned and kept going. "A late brunch?… an early dinner?… midnight snack?…middle-of-the-night refrigerator raid? I'm not giving up. You should know that about me."  
  
            "I do." Alexis replied. "You're stubborn, willful, obstinate…."  The smile that had lurked there burst over Sonny with a full jolt of wattage, like the sun bursting through a bank of rain clouds. "Normally I'd consider that a character flaw."  
  
             "But now…" Sonny asked, his eyes holding a mischievous sparkle in the dark dark depths.   
  
            "Let's just say I'm beginning to appreciate the merits in those sentiments. _Mea culpa,_ Sonny; I'd planned on getting some work done this evening, but an early dinner will be nice." After all, Sonny never did anything halfway. The idea of him her and the wonderful meal he would prepare for the two of them sounded more appealing by the minute. She smiled at him. "Okay, get the pertinent papers to me and I'll handle it." Her smile deepened. "Of course, with such short notice, I'll have to bill you double."  
  


Sonny smiled back. "It's a date, then. Clear your calendar, Councilor." 


	18. Business Before Pleasure

**Business Before Pleasure**

  
         "What are you doing here?" Jax turned from the bar with a surprised but pleased look on his face as Alexis entered the club. "I would have thought it would take a pack of wild dogs to drive you in here again after the last time.." He said as he crossed the room to meet Alexis halfway. He leaned down and brushed his lips against her cheek. "But it's a pleasant and welcome surprise."

Alexis returned his kiss with one of her own. "It seems like you have a fan for the cuisine, at least. My client insisted on having our meeting here for our working lunch. And speaking of working," she asked, her gaze checking out the club's perimeters…  "Where's your partner?" 

  
         "She's not here, but I'm expecting her a little later on. We have some business to go over."

Alexis hesitated. "Tell me the truth, Jax…how do you manage to work with her?"

"Carly's…well…complicated." Jax admitted. "I'm not blind to her faults; and I've made it clear that I won't put up with a single scam or scheme of hers. But beneath it all, she does have a very raw but astute business sense. She's one of those people who knows how to give the people what they want. Developing a club is an excellent choice for her – umm-- talents. Working with her is a challenge, but it's turning out to be an interesting one."

"Well as long as you're enjoying yourself, who am I to complain?" Alexis said.  
  
         "Enjoying myself...well that's one way of putting it." Jax said, with a enigmatic smile.  
  
         "Yes, it is." Alexis agreed. She was hardly one to advise Jax about his business partners, considering her own. Jax was as questionable about her choice of partners  - significantly, Sonny -  as she was about his. In her opinion, Carly was nothing more than a ticking time bomb waiting to explode his life apart…and Skye was not much better. But again, who was she to judge? And she noticed that neither one of them were eager about bringing up the night before. This was a good thing. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw her client entering the club. "On that note, Jax, I'll just say that I'll speak with you later.." 

Alexis walked to the stairwell, extending her hand in greeting.. "Mr. Lane, my pleasure."

"Ms. Davis, the pleasure is all mine's." His eyes glanced over to the bar, where Jax had returned. He caught the other's man's gaze and nodded in recognition as Jax lifted a glass to him in greeting. 

Alexis followed his gaze. "You know Jax?"

"We've crossed paths." Mason replied as they began to walk to a nearby table. "Had a few business dealings. Some were cordial…some were…not. You know Jasper Jax as well?"  
  
         "We're very close." Alexis said. "He's my ex-husband."

"And you've remained close?"  
  


"Best of friends. It was an amicable divorce." Since it had been a marriage only on paper, there was no reason for it to have been otherwise.

"Interesting." Mason said. His expression showed that he was intrigued. He pulled out the chair for Alexis to sit. Bending down, he murmured in her ear. "The more I learn about you, Ms. Davis, the more fascinated I am."

Alexis slanted her gaze up at him. His warm brown eyes twinkled done into hers with more than a touch of genuine interest. _ Yes, once upon a time, she would have been interested in his interest. Sorry, Mr. Lane, but your time truly…sucks._ "Right now, let's turn that fascination to the papers I've brought for you to look over, shall we?"

***

In the meanwhile, a heated argument as taking place on the other side of town. 

  
         "Since when does Sonny turn off his cell phone?…What do you mean he's incommunicado? I want to speak to Sonny, and I want to speak to him right now! Look, Johnny, I'm his wife and I have every right to know where he's at!"   
  
         There was a long silence.

"All right, ex-wife, Johnny. Fine!! But I'm still the mother of his child and that hasn't changed…divorce or no divorce…. As soon as you hear from him, you make sure he knows that I need to see him." Carly slammed the phone down. She hadn't lied…. She was still the mother of his child…what she wanted to talk abut had nothing to do with Michael, but then again, she hadn't said it was, had she? Some sixth sense was sending alarm signals off in her brain. Carly didn't know what it was, but something inside of her was telling her to find Sonny. _Now.  
  
         ***   
  
         Inside the penthouse, Sonny caught himself humming a tune to himself. He stopped I surprised and then laughed softly to himself. It wasn't something he did regularly, but today, why not? He had what he hoped would turn out to be a very special date with a very special lady. Sonny picked up his cell phone and slipped it into his jacket pocket. He patted his pocket with another smile. For the first time in a long time, he had turned it off. Jason could handle things for the next little while.  
  
         __That was enjoyable, reminding the ex-Mrs. Corinthos of her current status. Johnny carefully wiped the smile of satisfaction from his face, replacing his cell phone to his inner jacket pocket as the door to PH4 opened. _

  
         Sonny, observant as always, noticed the movement. He nodded at Johnny. "Anything I should know about?"  
  


Johnny told the truth with a straight face. "A minor annoyance; I took care of it. Nothing to worry about."  
  


"Good." Sonny replied. "I've got plans and I don't want anything interrupting them."  
  
         "Not to worry, Mr. Corinthos; you know you can depend on us. I know how important your…plans are to you." He hesitated as Sonny's dark eyes fixed on him. There was something unnerving about when Sonny Corinthos decided to fix his attention on you. You knew it, without a doubt. Johnny swallowed almost nervously, wondering if he'd crossed some imaginary line. He watched as Sonny crossed to the elevator doors and punched the button, then swallowed again as Sonny turned back to him.   
  


"Do you, Johnny?" Sonny asked, his voice oddly soft. "Do you, really?"  
  


Johnny realized that it wasn't so much a question to him as it was to Sonny himself. He didn't think he needed to answer that. "I've spoken to Rodriguez and everything is in order and waiting for you…."

The elevator doors slid open. Sonny's eyes cleared. For a moment, they'd been far, far away. Now some of the old fire was back in them. "Fine. See you later, Johnny. Hold the fort."  
  
            Johnny watched as Sonny stepped into the elevator. His step seemed to have more than its regular bounce; at least more bounce to it than Johnny could remember seeing in a long while. _Thank YOU, Ms. Davis,_ Johnny thought with a sudden grin. The boss was back.  
  



	19. A woman's Work

**a woman's work  
**  
  
         Alexis watched in satisfaction as her client signed the final page of the contracts. 

"As usual, Ms. Davis, you've negotiated the best possible terms for me. It seems you've covered for every contingency. Even a few that I hadn't taken into consideration." Mason told her as he smiled and handed the papers back to her. "If you don't mind me saying so, our partnership has proved to be a very enjoyable one."  
  
         "That's why you pay me, Mr. Lane. To cross the "t's" and dot the "i's"." Alexis slipped the papers into her briefcase. "I'll have these filed with the appropriate parties as soon as possible."  
  


"And now that business is concluded, how about pleasure? All work and all that." His eyes twinkled at her. "And please, call me Mason. I think that we've worked together enough to warrant us being on a first name basis, don't you?"  
  


_Was he was flirting with her?_ Alexis wondered. She smiled to herself, dimpling slightly. "Perhaps…Mason."

"That wasn't too hard, now was it, Alexis? You know that's a beautiful name." He grinned. "Now, about that pleasure. Please tell me that you're free later on."

_Wasn't she the lucky one_, Alexis thought. A few months ago, and he would have been a definite possibility. But now, her world was topsy-turvy. All because of another dark-haired dark-eyed gentleman. With thoughts of Sonny on her mind, unbidden, a second smile blossomed on her lips.   
  


Her smile encouraged her companion. "Dare I hope that smile means you're considering my proposal?" he asked, leaning forward across the table.

"Regrettably, I have previous plans, Mr. La—Mason."

"Nothing breakable?"

"Ironclad and rock solid, I'm afraid."  
  
         "My loss." The regret in his voice was genuine. "Well, another time, maybe."

Alexis smiled, saying nothing. Mason stood. He took her hand and shook it, then in a move that surprised her, brought her hand to his lips. "I look forward to our next meeting…which I hope won't necessarily be business. Don't answer now," Mason said, forestalling her reply. "Leave a man some hope and allow me my dreams."

"Is that what you're up to these days?" A voice sounded from behind Alexis, just before she felt the pressure of two strong hands on her shoulders. "Careful, Lane. I'm very protective of my ex wives."

"One of the things I adore about you." Alexis said with a small laugh. "Well, this particular ex-wife is feeling a little parched. Do you think I could get some spring water with a twist of lime?"

"Not a problem." Jax gave her shoulders a final squeeze. He headed off towards the bar, Mason following him.

            As Jax gave his order to the bartender, Mason smiled at Jax. "Not to worry…I have nothing but the highest respect for Alexis here." He gestured around the club. "Is this what keeps bringing you back to Port Charles?"

            "Among other things." Jax said. "Actually, this place is one of my investments. A plaything, actually, but it's proving to be a bit of a challenge."

            While the two men bantered easily with each other at the bar, Alexis' phone rang. She reached into her purse and flipped it open. "Alexis Davis."

            "Still busy with your client, Alexis Davis?" 

            "You're getting very protective and selfish with _my_ time, do you know that, Sonny?" 

            "I can hear the smile in your voice, Alexis. Tell me you don't like it." In spite of the fact that her head was telling her she shouldn't, the truth was, she did. His voice curled lazily in her ear, and did silly things to her insides, sending her stomach topsy-turvy and making her heart do flip flops. "I'll take it that your non-answer means you are done. Otherwise, you would have shut me down already."  He paused. "And you never did answer my question."

            "All right, Mr. I'm-In-Control…we finished up maybe five or ten minutes ago. He, Jax and I are having a pleasant conversation. Or we were."

            "Were?"

            "Well, right now, I'm sitting right here by my lonesome…talking to you."

            "Their loss; but it works for me."

            "Now who can hear the smile in who's voice?" Alexis said with a small laugh. "You are _so_ bad."

            "But don't ya love me when I'm bad? And just think…when I'm good, I'm even better…"

            She couldn't help it, a louder surprised laugh burst out of her before she could stifle it. Jax and Mason both turned to look her inquisitively. She could hear Sonny laughing on the other end. Alexis would bet that he was way too pleased with himself right now. "Along with willful, stubborn and obstinate, can I add aggravating and exasperating?"  
  
            "You can add anything you want to…just be outside in twenty minutes and we can work on the list of my never ending faults together. Maybe I'll find a way to help you add more to your list of my oh so many sins….In fact, I promise to do exactly that. Start counting down Alexis, because ready or not, here I come…"    
  


            "What did you mean…?" Alexis started to ask…but the only answer she got to her unfinished question was Sonny laughing as the phone clicked off. She shook her head and allowed herself another small grin. He was absolutely incorrigible – and she wouldn't have him any other way. She looked up to see Jax and Mason returning to the table.   
  
             "You're looking pleased with yourself." Mason was looking down at her and Alexis struggled to compose herself, but the corners of her mouth kept trying to curve upwards in a smile.  
  


            "I'm always pleased when my clients are." Alexis said.  She accepted the water from Jax with a softly murmured thanks and sipped at it before she began carefully replacing the papers in her briefcase, trying to still her pulse, the same pulse that had began beating rapidly from just the sound of Sonny's voice. She gave half an ear to what Jax and Mason were saying, while the other half tried to figure out just exactly what it was that Sonny had meant and what he was up to. She just knew he was up to _something.  
  
            "It seemed like that phone call you had had a lot more to do with that smile that anything I've done." Mason was saying. _

            Alexis focused on him. "It's just my next appointment. Maybe it's the fact that it's my last one of the day that has me smiling." _And not the fact that I'll be spending it with a certain someone has nothing to do with it. Yeah—right. And I've got a Greek Island to sell…   
  
_

_            "Any special plans for the weekend?" Mason Lane was persistent, she'd give him that.  
  
_

            "Mostly work, but I hope to get some play in." _Now that was the truth…_Alexis forced her mind into safer avenues of conversation. "How about yourself?"

            "I'm afraid that I'll be alone and lonely, since you've turned me down. My wounded heart will never be the same."  
  
            "Well, old man, you can spend your time drowning your sorrows right here at the club. They'll be plenty of beautiful women that will be more than happy to keep you company. Watching you spend your money will do my heart a great deal of good." Jax said. He laughed as he lightly slapped the other man on the back.   
  


            "And maybe Alexis will join us here after her work is done?" His eyes were hopeful as they gazed into hers.

            "A woman's work is never done, Mr. Lane…Mason…" Alexis said as she stood. "And the two of you can keep each other company. You won't even miss me." Both men protested that statement. Alexis glanced at her watch. If she left just now, her ride should be just pulling up in front of the club. And if she could be there waiting, she could avert a minor skirmish. She put out her hand to Mason, and was surprised when he lifted it to brush his lips gently across her knuckles. _Well, well…isn't he the charmer. But…his timing was just off in this case…_ She hugged Jax and kissed him on the cheek before leaving the club.  
  


             Her timing was perfect, Sonny's deep silver grey limo was just smoothly pulling to a stop in front of the doors as she exited the club. Max, the driver, was coming around to get the door and then Sonny was climbing out of the car. He reached out and took her hand. Their fingers intertwined themselves without thinking and that simple touch between them left them grinning almost foolishly at each other. The rest of the world disappeared right then and there, without them even realizing it. 

            "My lady, your chariot awaits." Sonny handed her carefully down into the car, never letting go of her hand as he followed her. Neither one of them saw Carly stumbling out of the back seat of a cab caught behind a truck five cars behind them as they were getting into the limo. Nor did they hear Carly's frantic shouts or see her waving her arms as they pulled off.  
  
            ***  
            

            "You're ex-wife is a very fascinating woman." Mason said to Jax as they stood at the bar enjoying two martinis. "Is she involved with anyone at the moment?"

            Jax thought about Sonny Corinthos for a moment and the undue influence he'd had on her lately. He shuddered inside as his mind thought about that. _Gods, he hoped not. "She hasn't told me about anyone new in her life." _And that was true enough. __

            Mason smiled. "That's the best news I've heard today."

            "Just remember...that _is_ my ex-wife...I wouldn't take kindly to anyone hurting her in any kind of way."

            "Warning taken and acknowledged, Jax.. But I'm betting that Ms. Alexis Davis can more than take care of herself "  
  


Jax wished he could be so sure. But maybe this Mason Lane was just what he needed to keep Alexis – occupied. "I'll drink to that." He said with a smile. The two men were touching glasses in a toast when a blond hurricane blew into the club.  
  
         Carly came raging into the club and seeing Jax, marched straight up to him…. "Now you're allowing Alexis to use my club for her assignations?!" she screeched at him. 

"Hardly, Carly… she was here meeting with a client."

"What kind of client?" Carly sneered in reply. "Who?"

"Mason Lane." Mason stepped forward, hand extended, to introduce himself. 

Carly, in typical Carly fashion, ignored him. "Is that why I just saw Alexis climbing into the back of a limo with Sonny? They were _holding hands – and it was disgusting! I won't have this going on, Jax, not in _my_ club...ex-wife or yours or not!" Spinning on her heel, she stormed off to the office. A stunning slam of a door echoed sharply behind her disappearance._

"Was that the interesting part of your investment?" Mason said dryly.

"You know how much I enjoy a challenge."

"I'd say you have one helluva challenge on your hands." The sharply echoing crescendo sound of glass smashing accentuated his last words.

            Jax sighed.

            ***

            Well, it was obvious they were not heading back to the penthouse. Alexis almost sighed aloud. The route they were taking was heading away from Harbor Towers. She had half hoped that they would have a leisurely meal at Sonny's place and maybe, somehow end up in front of the fireplace together with nothing more than a long private evening and some real conversation. It didn't really matter, she told herself.  Slow was good. Slow was what needed here. It was just as well that they didn't go back to the penthouse. After all, the situation might get out of hand, and that was the last thing that either of them needed. 

            "So," Alexis said brightly, "Just where is it that we'll be eating at?"  
  


            "Think Caribbean."

            Caribbean? That cuisine wasn't one of Sonny's favorites…that fact took a minute to digest. It took another moment after that before what Sonny had said actually clicked for Alexis. _Where…not **what…**_

Her suddenly stunned gaze flew up to meet his very amused and very affectionate and all-too-knowing one.         
  


            Caribbean. Obviously the mistake was not asking a pertinent question like location _before getting into the car._


	20. is never done

**CHAPTER TWENTY  
         …is never done  
  
**

The mood in the room was tense, despite its light and airy décor. Opponents sat across the table from one another, unsmiling, and even with the scents and sounds of the ocean paradise that surrounding them, the atmosphere was edgy. The words spoken were sharp and short at the beginning, and only now, two hours later, was there any semblance of softening. 

Alexis leaned forward. "By forgoing the ten percent increase in wages now and accepting profit sharing that will commence at the beginning of the year, you and your workers actually come out ahead in actual monies…" Alexis pulled another sheaf of papers from the pile between them and pointed at several column figures. She showed them to Marisol Ramirez, chief of the newly formed workers union. "Mr. Corinthos is not opposed to you and your people sharing in the growing profits of the casinos, since he recognizes your valuable contribution to his projects…however it is in everyone's best interests if demands are kept low for the time being…these are the projections made by your own people of the profits for the next five years… and by taking the course Mr. Corinthos recommends…" Sonny watched with pleasure as her long and lean fingers trailed themselves across the pages.   
  
         She'd been surprised that her main adversary had turned out to be a woman as well. Latin men were notoriously chauvinistic in some ways…and she had had her growing relationship with Sonny to underscore that fact. Marisol Ramirez was older than Alexis by at least more than five years, maybe as much as ten, and even so, she was still a handsome woman – and a shrewd one as well. They'd taken each other's measure early on in the meeting, recognizing a worthy adversary in one another. Marisol took several of the papers from Alexis and sat back studying them intently. One of her group began to argue loudly, but she turned and hushed them heatedly before turning back to the papers in her hands.  
  


Intent on her opponent, Alexis didn't notice Sonny as he sat back and watched with pleasure at the sight of Alexis in action. Just as he knew she would, she was handling the negotiations with firmness, no-nonsense, great skill and diplomacy. And charm. Most of the members of the union committee were eating up her every word, despite themselves, and all he'd had to do after the introductions was sit back and enjoy the show.   
  
         Careful not to let it show, he grinned to himself. Sonny had expected no less either, he'd known what she would do once she'd finished telling him off in no uncertain tones about his totally high-handed manner all the way to the airport, all while he escorted her onto the private jet and as he buckled her in. [all of it had been half-hearted anyway...they both knew that] Sonny patiently explained for the twentieth time about the urgent negotiations that he'd told her abut earlier...which gained him little more than a disbelieving, very un-ladylike snort. 

After that, it was time for the second part of his plan…He appeared to give up trying to argue with her, instead Sonny had simply handed a folder full of files outlining the current dilemma of the casino workers' demands being put forward, along with some notes and figures. Then all Sonny had to do was sit back, just like he was doing now, and watch Alexis' lawyer's mind take over. Once she got going, he knew she be fascinated in spite of herself. Creating order out of chaos… Alexis wouldn't be able to help herself…

A flood of Spanish burst out among the group. After a moment, Marisol turned and spoke rapidly to them directing most of her comments to the man beside her. A fresh argument ensued.

Alexis took the opportunity to lean towards Sonny. "What's going on?" she whispered.

"They're debating our latest offer. Marisol has been the president of their union for five years now. Her husband is the man who was our most vocal opponent. The man in the blue shirt, that's him, Esteban."  
  
         "The one who has been the main opponent to any offers…." Then she noticed what Sonny had said…. "Our, Sonny? Since when is it "our" endeavor?" Alexis asked. "I wasn't aware of any stock options offered in lieu of payment…and by the way, this will be a triple, no, make that a quadruple billing fee."

As if he couldn't afford her. He grinned in answer to her words, but Sonny kept on talking as though she hadn't spoken. "They work well as a team, wouldn't you say? They save each other's face, with him being against this and that, it gives her leeway to convince the others to do as she decides is best. You have to admire such teamwork."  
  


"And you, Mr. Chauvinistic-me-man-you-woman-me-always-in-charge, have no problem with this?" Alexis arched a questioning brow.

"I find a woman in charge…sexy." He let his voice drop. "Feel free to take charge of me anytime you please."  He was gratified by Alexis' sudden blush. He loved it when he could get to her. Oh, the things he could say to her now to make her not only blush but stammer too. Unfortunately, they were conducting business, and he'd better remember that. Sonny deliberately steered the conversation back into safer waters. "Since Marisol's decisions are made in the best interest of the union and not for her own personal gain, it works out best all around for them. I respect that…. And you. Have I thanked you properly for helping me with this?"  
  
         "You can thank me by paying my bill on time." She turned in her seat just in time to catch Marisol watching her. Hearing her name must have caught her attention; the others were still loudly debating among themselves. Alexis felt as though the older woman was measuring her again, but it was different somehow.. Her dark eyes seemed to read Alexis in a way she couldn't begin to explain, but felt all the way down to her toes. It was one woman regarding another as a woman, not as a business opponent… and yet Alexis felt a strange sort of kinship, in spite of the fact she'd only met the woman a few hours before.   
  
         "And that's what you're using me for?" Alexis tuned her attention back to Sonny, giving herself a little shake. 

"Use you, Alexis? Never." Sonny answered. He leaned in closer, so close that his breath was a curling warm sensation in her ear.  "Employ that beautiful mind? Any and every chance I get." His words and the touch of breath on her flesh sent a thrill through her. Alexis sat forward in her chair, pretending to look over the papers on the table before her… in reality, they were little more than a blur.

Sonny sat back in his chair. From his vantage point behind her, he could see the smooth curve of Alexis' neck. In the few moments they'd had to freshen up before the meeting had begun, Alexis had pinned her hair up into a smooth french roll. No doubt, it was the unaccustomed heat she was feeling, after leaving frigid Port Charles. 

He liked it better when she wore her hair down and loose, when her hair framed the strong cheekbones in her face and the wisps of her bangs got into her eyes. How many times had he wanted to just reach over and brush them out of the way. His eyes lingered on the spot …at least this way he could take a moment to indulge a fantasy or two…like imagining how the curve just under her ear tasted, or what the scent of Alexis would be like if he were holding her in his arms and his face was buried there, where her throat curved softly into her shoulder blade or the feel of the pulse point at the base of her throat would feel against his lips. His imagination was all to ready to take him past there…

"A penny for your thoughts?"  
  


Sonny had to shake himself mentally to free himself from his wayward thoughts… Alexis had leaned back in her own chair to look at him. God, she had the most beautiful brown eyes… a man could drown in them….Finding his lips suddenly dry, he leaned forward to pour himself a glass of water. Sitting back again, he half turned in his chair towards Alexis.

"Oh, but wait, I should quadruple that as well for absconding with your lawyer and removing said attorney into international waters?" She wasn't going to let him forget his little stunt for a long time to come…that was obvious. She seemed to remember suddenly, that they weren't alone... "Do you think the negotiations are going well?" Alexis asked. Out of habit, she bit her lip and Sonny found his eyes drawn to her mouth and found it ridiculously hard to tear his gaze away.

"I think everything is going well." Sonny answered. "I couldn't ask for more."  
  
         "I find that hard to believe." Alexis gave him a small grin, her voice dry. The dimple in her cheek flashed into view, enchanting Sonny all over again.

"Sass, you're giving me sass, aren't you?" Sonny said, returning her grin with one of her own. "Be careful, Councilor, don't dish out what you can't take."

"I can handle anything _you _dish out, _Senor_ Corinthos."

Alexis leaned forward to reach for her own glass of water, but before she reached it, she was frozen in mid-motion by the  shock of something warm ...the feel of a hand on her knee. _Sonny's_ hand on her knee. And the touch drew a silent gasp from her. She sat back in the chair, stunned on one hand, but inexplicably, unexplainably stirred by the simple touch. 

"Are you really sure about that?" Sonny picked up the glass of water Alexis had been reaching for. He sipped at it, and still unnoticed by the others, licked his lips slightly. Slowly. And all the while staring directly into her eyes. He put the glass into her hand, allowing his fingers to caress hers before letting go. "Careful, Alexis… you were saying something about handling things?" His innocent tone belied the havoc his hand was wreaking on her leg as it began to slide upwards, hidden by the tablecloth.

Alexis tried for a glare, but lost miserably. She bit her lip again as his fingers moved again, caressing her skin above her knee. She tried to grab at his hand, but he simply clasped his hand in hers, and let his fingers play with hers lightly.

"_Buena…_Good. It is finished_." _ Alexis was grateful as Marisol spoke. Sonny gave her knee a final squeeze and let her go. His face betraying nothing.

Marisol turned to the men beside him and there was a quick but excited final exchange of words in Spanish, after which she turned back to them "It will have to go to a full vote of the union, but I will say now that I am sure that the others will see the wisdom in accepting your offer."  The others nodded in agreement and even Marisol's husband, the man who had been her main opponent and hardest negotiator, smiled now. He spoke rapidly Amazingly, his face had turned from a scowl to an almost beatific smile. Marisol nodded…Puzzled, Alexis turned to Sonny for a translation.

"First of all, Esteban apologizes for not speaking in English, but sometimes, he says, the words just do not suffice. Espanola is so much more suited for complimenting a beautiful woman as yourself. … and I can't argue with him for that."  Sonny added. "He is saying that he has never been charmed into such an attractive proposition." Sonny translated. The other man hadn't finished speaking either, but continued on in a rush. All the while he was smiling hugely, all Alexis could pick up was senor Corinthos and senorita Davis, everything else was nothing more than a laughing rush of words. "He's also inviting us to his family's hacienda tonight to celebrate the most generous offer that you've put to him and his people." Sonny said. "Many of the men here are related to him by either blood or marriage… such a celebration after a successful negotiation is a custom here." He shifted his chair closer. "You've allowed him to accept my demands and still retain his honor. Honor is something very important here."  
  


"I can appreciate that."

"Can you, really?" Sonny asked. Before she could answer, he continued. "Then you can appreciate that it's very important that we accept his offer."

"But, Sonny, I wouldn't know how to act…or behave… I mean, I've never been to a …"  
  


"Trust me, Alexis. We're not in Port Charles. As hard as it may sound to you, all you have to do is have fun." Before she could answer, Sonny had turned back to Esteban Ramirez and had accepted his very kind and generous offer to join him and the others later that evening. 


	21. All work and no play

**CHAPTER TWENTY ONE  
         all work and no play...**

  
         Alexis was contemplating her wardrobe, such as it was… Kristina had packed for her, just a second suit, a pair of her comfortable jeans and some tops. How should she dress for this celebration? She didn't have…what should she call it...island wear? She'd noticed some of the hotel guests, all those women in flowery things….  _I don't DO flowery…_ Alexis thought to herself. She could feel  herself beginning to panic… _I'm on an island, about to go to a party with Sonny…there's going to be dancing under the stars… and moonlight and ocean waves and tropical breezes… he's going to look at me and what is he going to see?? _ She glanced at the door that connected their suites.  
  


"Maybe if I hide under the bed, and refuse to answer my door, he'll think I hijacked the jet and headed back to good old Port Chuck." Alexis muttered out loud. "He'll never miss me."  
  
         "With the security I have, you'd never make it past the gate." Sonny said from the doorway. He crossed the room to her. "and as for not missing you…. you've got to be kidding." To emphasize his words, Sonny leaned in and brushed his lips against hers. "You've definitely got to be kidding." He said again, just before his lips came down on hers again.   
  


His kiss gently possessed Alexis, leaving her breathless. When she could speak again, she almost stammered. "It's just that I don't know what to wear… and we have a little more than an hour to get ready."

"I kind of figured that was what you were thinking; that's why I'm here." Sonny shook his head, grinning. "Relax Alexis, we're in the islands…time isn't an issue here; all you have to do is relax… but I know just how hard that is for you, Councilor."   Alexis swung a mock punch at his head; Sonny caught it and trailed another soft kiss across her knuckles. There was a knock at the door. "Let me get that." He said, and called out permission to whoever was at the door.  
  


One of his bodyguards opened the door and a virtual small army of young women swarmed into the room, all converging on Alexis. Her eyes widened as she realized what they wanted. Several were holding garments over their arms, while others were setting up tray and tables with selections of cosmetics and fragrances. Sonny was of course, looking very pleased with himself. 

Sonny led her to a chair someone had placed in the center of the room and sat her down. He cleared his throat and the whirlwind around Alexis stilled. He spoke the words in Spanish first and then repeated his words in English, for Alexis' sake.  "Anything that Ms. Davis wants is hers. No expense is to be spared. See to her every whim." 

He bent down and whispered in her ear. "These are Marisol's and Esteban's nieces. When I sent down my request to housekeeping, Marisol overheard and insisted…. And as far as your every whim…that goes doubly for you."  His hands slid unconsciously over her shoulders and began a slow massaging of just the right spots with his fingertips that made Alexis want to just melt right there in the chair. "Enjoy this."

"She will, Senor Corinthos." Marisol Ramirez said as she entered the room. "I can guarantee it."

Sonny gave Alexis' shoulders a final squeeze and caress before walking over to Marisol and taking her hand. He raised it to his lips, bowing slightly over it. "Then I shall leave my beautiful attorney in your more than capable hands." With a final wink at Alexis, he disappeared. 

As soon as he was gone, Marisol took charge. She called out to one of her nieces. "A drink for the senorita Davis. She has had a long and difficult afternoon." She smiled at Alexis, acknowledging the war of words they'd engaged in not so very long ago… "Just the thing for such thirsty work such as we have done today." She laughed at the expression that suddenly passed over Alexis' face. "A rum daiquiri, the recipe for which I've concocted myself… very light on the rum, very heavy on the juices…extremely revitalizing… just the thing you need, I think." She raised her voice. "You girls, stop your chattering and take yourself off for a few minutes… you can run the senorita a bath, bring her some fresh flowers for her room." She rattled off a list of things to do. The drinks were prepared for them quickly and very soon Alexis found herself sitting with the other woman in a comfortable silence. Their chairs faced the terrace and the late afternoon sun streamed through the open French doors along with the scents of the tropics and the sound of the ocean so very near… Alexis felt herself actually relaixing, quarter inch by quarter inch.  
  
         "Don't I have to start getting ready?" Alexis asked.

"Relax…You do not _have_ to do anything. There will be time for you to soak in the water for a moment and rest yourself. The festival tonight will be a long one. And the senor will not mind waiting." The calculating look was back in Marisol's eyes, but with a different aim in mind this time…her eyes traveling up and down her critically. "I am just thinking of how to do you."

  
         "Do me?" Alexis asked, a little shocked. 

"For you, no frills and ruffles, I am thinking. This is not your way." Before Alexis could speak, the older woman continued. "But you are not on the mainland. Today you were the lawyer, tonight you will be the woman." She continued to scrutinize Alexis…. "Blue? No? A soft pink perhaps…"

Marisol paused to gaze at the sky that was westering towards evening… "No…I have it… red. The color of the setting sun as it sets the ocean aflame."

"Red isn't usually my color…" Alexis said and laughed. "I'm more a grey and navy kind of gal."  
  


"Cool, earthy colors… yes, I can see that in you. Solid, dependable, like Mother Earth. Even better… all the more reason for you to wear the red tonight. Fire belongs to the earth as well, do you not know this? It may be buried deep below the surface, but here in the islands, it is very much closer to the surface than elsewhere in the world, closer indeed, than one may think. How else are the islands created, after all?"  
  

 Somehow, what Marisol was saying began to suddenly make sense to Alexis. Deep down, the Cassidine fires still burned in her. She'd spent a lifetime banking those fires and keeping them under strict control…it didn't mean that they'd been extinguished totally. Being around Sonny had made her aware of them, aware of the passions that she usually kept checked and buried away from the world….like she hadn't been aware of them in a very, very long time.   
  


"You are also in the islands…and night is coming. The fires burn in you, I can see that in your eyes… they are not so far down beneath the surface as you have thought, no? Especially around the Senor...he brings this out in you…or perhaps you haven't yet allowed this, _hm_? In control, always…this is you… is it not?"  
  


"The _seno_r pays me very well for my - control. It is why he values my council…. It is why I'm here. I'm his lawyer…"  
  


"Nonsense… and you think that is the only reason you are here with him? You are here with a _muy _macho man… the _Senor_ Corinthos. He comes here many time, sometimes alone, sometimes not. Many women here have looked on him with longing and desire, but this is the first time I have seen with a woman worthy of his attentions. Before this, nothing but pretty little girls have been on his arm, and of them I've seen enough of. But you, you are a true woman, one worthy of the term…one worthy of _him_."  
  
          Marisol tossed her head back and finished her drink… Alexis, feeling suddenly just a little bit restless at her words, drained her glass, enjoying the sweet fruity rum slipped down her throat. Marisol took both of the glasses and sat them aside. "I have seen the pair you make, much like Esteban and I… he is the tempered coolness to my heat. But for you two, it is different. It is the opposite."

That much was true. She was the calming influence that kept Sonny from losing his cool so many times. How had Marisol known this from a simple meeting. Flustered by the truth, Alexis drained her glass. _Tonight could be different…if she wanted it… Did she want it? What did she want?_  
         

Marisol took her glass and set them both down; she clapped her hands sharply, summoning her troops. Before they got to work, Marisol turned to Alexis. Seeing the recognition on Alexis' face, her own burst into a triumphant grin. 

"Ice to his fire, I am thinking. But tonight… _you_ will be the flame."


	22. Flames and Firelight

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO 

**Flames and Firelight**

**  
         **Dancing, vibrant  _Alive._ The flames of the torch danced golden bright in the wake of the many gentle gusts of the tropic night breezes. Alexis felt the same; alive – _aware_ as she hadn't been in a very long time, as she gazed into the heart of the torchiere nearest her table. For the moment, she was alone. After they'd finished a dance and was heading back to their table, Sonny had been drawn away by a group of men who obviously had wanted to respectively speak to the respected senor Corinthos. Not releasing her hand, Sonny had turned am inquisitive gaze on Alexis, clearly giving her the choice. Alexis had smiled at him. Time meant nothing for the moment…she'd be fine. 

On the opposite side of the compound, Sonny watched Alexis, even as he accepted the respectful offerings by the men around him. Even from this distance, he was aware of her, he marveled. Sonny had escorted her back to her seat, his hand all too aware of the feel of the cool silk of her dress beneath his palm, and the lean curves just underneath, after a dance when the group of men had approached, respectfully asking for them to join them.  

"Are you sure you don't mind?" Sonny asked as he handed her into her seat. His eyes had been dancing; now they darkened. Sonny was all too aware of his responsibilities. He'd hurt her once, by being thoughtless and letting other "business" take precedence. But this night could be special, and he found himself ready to throw it all away – for just this one night. He hadn't realized that until this very moment. H was not about to make that mistake twice.

"I understand, Sonny." Those great brown eyes looking up into his seemed to see deep inside of him. And her smile was genuine. He was amazed at this woman all over again. She did understand…without a word, without questioning him endlessly or feeling a need to insinuate herself into the situation. She understood the boundaries of who and what he was…she always did. Sonny felt a new wave of warmth go through him as he looked at her   
  


Her smile widened. "They want to pay their respects; it's only for a little while. We have the rest of the night." Sonny watched Alexis blush as she realized what she'd said. And a number of  teasing remarks flashed into his head, any one of which would have reduced Alexis to a series of stammering and stutterings.

But he didn't. 

"We have as long as we want, Alexis." He'd meant to say it lightly, but then their eyes met and held; and for a long, long moment nothing else existed in their world except the two of them. Mentally Sonny shook himself. "This won't take long. I  promise."   
  
         ***

 Alexis' gaze shifted away from the torches, moving to look around the compound, idled across the great open space where the dancing was held and the long tables on one side that held a groaning load of tempting food and drinks. Her gaze continued to travel around the area, until she found Sonny standing talking with the men  that had claimed his attention. Even in the midst of a group of men, some of who were taller and physically stronger appearing, Sonny stood out. Even from this distance, his aura of power was undeniable.   
  


And that was very dangerous thing, she realized. The female in her was responding instinctively to the sheer maleness that Sonny exuded without even trying. And without the restraints that their roles in Port Charles proscribed, that was a very, VERY dangerous thing.   
  
         _No man should be allowed to look so good so often, or so many ways. _Alexis thought. She wasn't used to this Sonny. Shirt opened and contrasting warmly against the light-golden tone of his skin, dark hair curling free of its usual control. The lines of tension, control seemed to be banished, at least for the night. 

_All you have to do is relax." _ Sonny's sultry voice echoed through her head. And it seemed he'd taken his own words to heart. Everything tonight had gone so easily, and all she had to do was relax….  
  
_**flashback**_

Earlier that evening, after Marisol had delivered her dress and left her, she'd dismissed her nieces and had sunk gratefully into a hot bath, letting the richly-floral scented water lull her senses into sereneness. For a time, everything seemed to awaken her senses -- the sounds of the ocean caressed her ears even as the water caressed her skin. And even after, she was aware of the softness of the warm tropical breeze as it washed over her bare skin and of the glide of the oils as she rubbed it in all over her body. Alexis had decided to do her own face and hair this evening. She would be herself, whoever that was, and that would be all she wanted Sonny to see.  So she applied a light dusting of powder, and just the merest touch of eyeliner and mascara. A splash of a light scent, one of a selection that Marisol had had sent to her. It wasn't her usual lightly scented fragrance, but one heavier, richer, with notes of tuberoses and musk and a hint of vanilla sweetness… a last spritz and she was ready.   
  
         Alexis emerged from the suite to find a guard waiting to escort her; and all too soon, she was there with him, and very much aware of Sonny's eyes on her as she descended the stairs to the pier where he was waiting for her.

He'd been standing at the pier's edge, idly twirling a flowering branch in his hands. He laughed to himself, he was as nervous as a teenage boy on prom night. But then again, how would he know? There had been no prom nights for him, not ever. Sonny leaned on the rail and stared out over the water, trying to still his thoughts. Tonight, they were away from all distractions…. Tonight, things could change between them forever… 

Something turned him around, and Sonny looked up to see Alexis coming down the stairs coming towards him. A swirl of vibrant red silk caressed her body. Simple and sleek, the sultry night breeze played along its length, fluttering against her legs, and exposing a length of smooth and slender thigh that made Sonny catch his breath in anticipation.   
         

Alexis raised a perfectly arched eyebrow as she saw the speedboat.. "I didn't realize we were going on _another _trip, Sonny."

After a moment, Sonny found his voice. "What'samatter, Alexis. Don't you trust me?"

"Didn't I tell you once already?" Alexis stepped forward and slid her hand into his. "Always."  
  
         Then there was the boat ride, the thrill of feeling the powerboat powering thru the ocean waves was exhilarating. Alexis stood at the side of the boat, hands grasping the railing firmly as she watched the waves curl and dance along the sides of the boat. She laughed aloud, feeling the wind whip her hair back from her face. 

"Why are you laughing?" Suddenly Sonny was standing behind her. The boat rocked as it danced along the waves, sending Alexis stumbling against the rail and instinctively, his arms came up from behind, sliding around her to hold her steady.

"I don't know?" Alexis said. She didn't know why, except that she felt so…free. That word again. Why was she using it so much? But here she was, free of Port Charles, and free of everyone there… The thought started her laughing again and Sonny joined in, the sound deep and rich and vibrant in her ear. "I'm just happy, I guess…why are you laughing?"

"Because you're happy. That's all the reason I need." His hands slid atop hers and their fingers intertwined. Once upon a time, not so very long ago, his nearness would have sent Alexis into stammers and blushes. But not tonight. Instead, Alexis deliberately let the motion of the ocean press her body backwards  into his. She smiled to herself as she felt his arms tighten around hers and leaned into his body, enjoying the feel of his body firm and hard against hers. Neither one of spoke again for the rest of their short journey.  
  
         A small island soon appeared and they only moved away from one another as the boat slowed and came to rest alongside a pier, and even then, it was very reluctantly. Sonny climbed out first, and then held out a hand to help Alexis. A touch of his regular devilishment sparkled as her dress once again gave him a long clear look at of smooth thigh. Alexis could only shake her head and laugh. Incorrigible… she said to herself.  Aloud she said:

"It just occurred to me that all of the dresses delivered to my room were exactly the right size. And in specific colors. Now how did that happen?"

Sonny, at a loss for words. Alexis never thought she would see the day. He was looking at her in a little-boy-shy manner that dismantled another piece of her heart's armor. She was rapidly loosing the battle.   
  


"I was hoping you'd wear the red."  
  
         "Red's not usually my color of choice. I wasn't sure if it was me."  
  


"I was."

"But size wise,  how did you know…." Alexis answered her own question. "…Kristina."  
  
         "I plead the fifth, Councilor. But I will admit, she has her uses." Sonny laughed. As usual, only Alexis could read him like a book. "She also said to tell you something about tiny umbrellas?"  
  
         Alexis giggled, a sound he'd never heard from her before; it melted into his heart and ran through his veins like sweet rum and he was intoxicated by the sound. "You want to share the joke?"  
  
         "Maybe later...if you're good."  
  
         "I'm always good..." Sonny said in a seductive tone. "And when I'm bad, I'm...better..."  
  
         "What's that supposed to mean?"  
  
         "Maybe you'll find out later...if you're good." He held out his arm to her.  
  
         Alexis took it. "I'm so not talking to you, do you know that?" she said. As they walked towards the crowd gathering at the far end of the pier, she paused and turned to him.   
  
         "Sonny?"

"Hm?"  
 

Her eyes locked onto his, serious again, if just for a moment.. Alexis squeezed his arm. "Just in case I forget later on, I had a really nice time tonight."  
  
         Sonny smiled, a genuine one that lit up his eyes and beamed a full gig hertz at her. "And just think," he said...bringing up his other hand to lace his fingers into hers. "The night is still young."**  
  
**

**_end flashback**_  
  


It was close to midnight. Alexis couldn't think of  a more wonderful night than the one she'd had tonight. No accusing glances, no condemning words or admonitions. Just she and Sonny and a host of laughing smiling faces. 

All the antagonism and opposition from the afternoon's long meeting was gone; they'd walked into a group of welcoming smiles and handshakes. They were shown to one of the tables laid out along the edges of a huge dance floor and their fun began. Dancing and food filled the evening. More than once, Sonny managed to coax Alexis onto the dance floor. And somehow, Alexis smiled to herself, she managed to keep her footing and not make a total fool of herself. Dancing had never been a strong point of hers. But in his arms, Alexis had felt sure of herself… the magic, the moonlight and the music, all of it was weaving a moonlit, flame kissed web of magical possibilities…and Alexis let it all sweep her away. 

They had eaten and danced the night away. Dinner had been an event.. nothing formal, but a large -  no huge - buffet spread out along three enormous flower strewn tables. They'd joined the crowd around them, plates in hand. Most of the food was exotic dishes she had never tasted before, but Sonny had been all too happy to pick out those that he knew she'd most likely enjoy, and then spent most of dinner feeding her by hand.  Feeling equally adventurous, Alexis had even gone so far as to lick the juices off his fingers more than once.  If no one had known differently, they would have sworn the two of them were lovers in every sense of the word. Up 'til now, they'd only danced around _that_ issue, Alexis realized; could things change….would they?  
  


That was all up to her, wasn't it?


	23. El Pasion Fuego

_el_ _Pasión_ _Fuego_

The band played on; the guitars, flutes and the soft patter of drums all beat in time to her heart. Alexis' eyes traveled around the compound once again and came to rest on Sonny. She couldn't get over how at ease he seemed. He'd gone so easily from Armani suited, silk-shirted elegance to almost-casual beachwear without seeming to miss a beat. In a simple pale ivory shirt and pants, he looked almost as though he was one of the group of smiling and laughing men around him. His hair had come undone from it's usual control and he looked so at ease, so relaxed, so much more himself than the mob boss of Port Charles that her heart went out for him for that alone. When was the last time he'd actually been that person?

Was it simply because they were away from Port Charles? Could it be that simple?  It could - maybe… maybe they could be just a man and a woman here…if that was what she wanted. No Sonny Corinthos, Mob Boss, no ex-husband with a screaming harpy of an ex-wife lurking and scheming to stay in his life, and no Natasha Alexis Davidovitch _nee Alexis Davis Attorney at Law _of the House of Cassidine. Just Sonny…no – _Michael -_ and Alexis.   
           
         While those thoughts floated through her mind, the music changed, a vibrant rush of chords from two guitars sang out into the night, catching her attention… and suddenly Marisol was standing before her, a group of other women crowding in close behind. They took her by the hands and pulled her to her feet. "Come with us," Marisol explained. "This dance is _el_ _Pasión_ _Fuego_." The other women clapped in approval as she brushed Alexis' hair back on one side and tucked a flower behind one ear. Another woman draped a necklace of fragrant blossoms around her neck. 

"This dance is for the woman who is not afraid of being a woman." Another woman close to her said. 

_Was that a challenge? _Alexis thought. But even as she wondered about that, the group of women were moving, and she was being carried along with them, whether she would or no. 

"_Si_," A third chimed in, as she moved in to drape a second garland around Alexis' neck. "It is tradition. Our men, they are always so _muy_ macho, no? Always to have the last word, they need this, yes? You know this well, si? Well, we control the dance… how fast, how slow… say what they will. And tonight...we shall show them." 

She raised her voice. "Isn't that right, my sisters?" A chorus of agreement echoed her words. "Let us see what kind of men these are!"

  
         The women moved to the dance floor, some joining them there, others clearing their way. As they spread out, the other instruments joined in now, the beat of the small drums and trill of flutes skillfully intermingling with the guitars. 

"But, I don't know the steps…" Alexis stammered…she felt like she'd been caught up in a flood that moved her with them, whether she would or not. But at the same time, a sense of daring sent her pulses racing. The music was calling her and she could already feel its beat in her blood.

Marisol did a slow circle around her, ending up face to face with Alexis, fingers snapping to the beat while her hips wove a sinuous dance of their own. "Let the music show you the dance. Let the feelings in your heart show you the steps."

 Her eyes flashed a dare even as she grinned at Alexis. "Some of the men, they will join us in the dance… if we permit it…those that you do permit, you may give them a flower from one garland, if you like.. if the man is the one that pleases you above all others, then you take your second garland and place it around his neck to claim him. The man that you desire, share with him your passion…"  
    
         Giving in to a suddenly impulse, Alexis grinned back, taking the unspoken dare. Marisol grinned back at her and the others close enough shouted their approval…At  a signal from the women, the band's melody shifted, the patter of the congas intensified, dominating the night. The women spread out across the open space and began to move.  The dance started out simple enough, allowing Alexis to easily pick up the steps. Beside her, Marisol raised her hand, clapping them to the beat, at first, only shoulders and feet moving lightly to the beat.  Then as the guitars joined in, their bodies began to move, hips swaying and dipping to its seductive melodies... 

Hesitantly at first, Alexis began to move with the other women. Watching their supple forms move with the music, she followed their steps. Alexis felt a little self-conscious at first, but that slipped away soon enough as the bystanders began to clap to the beat and call out shouts of encouragement that urged them all on. Soon she was laughing and moving with them easily in the pattern of the dance.   
  
         The music seared itself into her blood, maybe it called an ancient memory from the unorthodox mix of her wild Russian and Greek blood, maybe it was the dare to share her passion with the man the had come to matter so much to her, but either way, it didn't matter...the sensuous beat called forth a like feeling in her heart, its beating echoing the rhythms swirling up from deep within her. Raising her hands above her head, Alexis closed her eyes and let the music take her. Her body found its rhythm on its own, and then she was dancing and dancing and dancing; at one with the rhythms of the night. She no longer felt alone, or an outsider, she was a woman among women, secure in the power of her femininity as never before, of her power to entice, to weave enchantment from the magic that was in her, in all women.  
  
         And then the men were among them, moving through the throng of women to find themselves a dance partner. The first one to stop before her was young, vibrant and very handsome as only Latin men can be with dark hair and darker eyes; not that it mattered. He held out a hand to her and Alexis took it; he swung her into a twirling, intricate series of steps that left her breathless and laughing. But when he would have boldly pulled her closer, she spun around him, plucking a blossom from her garland as she turned. Coming around to face him again, she reached out to him and tucked it behind one ear. Her partner shrugged good-naturedly and grinned regretfully, even as Alexis moved away from him. The same happened with her next two partners. They whirled past her in a whirl of color and sound.

Then it was Esteban dancing with her. His grin was pearl white against the dark tan of his skin. "Ahh, _senorita," _ he said with a hearty laugh. "I knew you were _mucha mujer... _yes, much woman from the first time  saw you at _el patron's _ side. Come, let us dance!" Taking her by the hand, he danced her into the heart of crowd. Throughout his turn with her, he flirted with her unashamedly, paying her outrageous compliments that would have at one time, turned Alexis beet-red. But tonight, she laughed and gave back as good as she got. He turned out to be a very energetic dancer, and a strong one as well. Alexis gasped at first then laughed gaily as he suddenly grabbed her by the waist and swooped her up into the air, spinning her around. 

When her feet were back on the ground again, He hugged her to him. "Yes, _mucha mujer…_ just the woman for a certain man." He sighed dramatically while he took her hand and pressed it to his heart. "If I were only ten years younger…"  
    
         Alexis took a blossom from her garland and tucked it behind Esteban's ear. "You would still be as handsome as you are tonight...and as charming and gallant…"

"And he would still be an old fool." Marisol said from somewhere behind Alexis, her affectionate tone denying the sting of her words. She laughed and draped her garland over him. She waved good-naturedly at Alexis as she began to lead her husband away.. "We'll see just how much energy you have tonight when I get you home, eh, you old bull?" Alexis heard her say as they disappeared into the crowd.

Alexis turned to find Sonny standing before her. He didn't speak, but instead just started dancing, his hips moving seductively to the beat. Alexis followed his action, her body moving slowly into sync with his…she turned, facing away from him, still swiveling her body to the seductive music. Alexis smiled as she felt Sonny come up close behind her. She leaned her head back slightly and half turned it towards him to whisper.. "What took you so long?" deliberately letting her lips brush against the firm skin of his jaw line.  
  
         Sonny's unspoken answer to her provocative touch was to let his hands come to settle on her hips, then to let them glide slowly up her sides. As his hands reached her arms, he drew them upwards into the air until they were over her head and then he intertwined his strong fingers with her own. Sonny turned her to face him. With their hands still joined and overhead, he moved deliberately so that their bodies were barely touching. Sonny still not speaking, smiled at her slowly and licked his lips lightly. 

_Was he daring her or teasing her,_ Alexis wondered. _Did it matter?_

Icy-cold bottles of sweet wine were being passed from hand to hand in the crowd; One came around to them and Alexis freed one hand from his to reach for it before Sonny could. He watched, surprised, as Alexis lifted the bottle to her lips and drank deeply and recklessly. She wasn't worried about the alcohol's effect on her, she was intoxicated enough on the magic of the night and the music, and nothing could touch that. Her lips moist from the wine, she curved them into a secret smile of her own. She offered the bottle to Sonny, and he took it. Their fingers touched and lingered, a secret fire jumping from one to the other, as sharp and as sudden as a lighting bolt, as hot and bright as the flames of the torchlight dancing all around them.

Sonny drank after her, as deeply as she had. He half-turned away to pass the bottle to the next person. When he turned back, Alexis had moved herself closer. Before he could react, she leaned in even closer still and brushed her lips against his wine-damp mouth, savoring the last taste of the fruit-fragrant wine. 

When Sonny would have moved to capture her lips with his own, Alexis whirled out of his grasp. He stood there, half-shocked as she moved slowly around him in a tight circle, allowing her body to brush slowly but provocatively against his every so often, but letting her hands maintain contact with his body at all times. They seemed to take on a mind of their own, as they stroked their way across his smoothly muscled shoulders and moved down to caress his waist. All the while she moved around him, her movements smooth and slow and deliberate. And erotic, enticing and entrancing. Sonny stood there, barely daring to breathe, not knowing what was she was going to do next.  
   
         When she had completed her circle around him, Alexis paused, then deliberately drew her garland over her head.   
  
         _The man that you desire, share with him your passion…_   
  
         Gazing into his eyes, she slowly brought it down and placed it around sonny's neck. He caught her hands before she could move them away, pressing them to his chest and holding them there. And still the music played on, weaving its magic all about them, binding them together in its seductive web. 

Alexis could feel the pounding of Sonny's heart beneath her palms, a feeling that poured through her and made her lightheaded as the wine had not. She slid one hand upwards, suddenly needing to touch his bare skin. On their own, her fingers played lightly along the open throat of his shirt, where they had longed to touch and caress since she'd first seen him this night.  They trailed along the base of his throat, feeling the pulse that beat there.  

"Alexis…" Sonny said, his voice a throaty half-whisper. Sonny captured her hand in his own, bringing it to his lips. He trailed her fingers across his mouth, the movement bringing her body close to his. When he released her hand, she let them trace a path along his jaw. "Alexis…?" he said again in an even softer voice, as her fingers brushed across his lips.

"_Yes_." She answered to his unspoken question.

In the midst of all the dancers, they were isolated in their own world, one built of firelight and magic and the wonderful enchantment possibilities of the night. Their eyes were locked on one another, their bodies moving as one, caught up and bound in the heavy sensuous beat of the music. Sonny brought one hand up to curve around her waist, drawing Alexis hard against him. Alexis let her body melt into his, while the melody pulsed through the air  - her body – his body. It was everywhere around them and in them, tangible but elusive, and real, all too achingly, exhilaratingly, evanescently _real_… Every inch of her being quivered with the closeness of his body to hers, every inch of bared skin tingled as it touched his.   
  
         The dance was building to a crescendo, she could feel it beckoning in her. The air was taut with the impending release. The crowd could feel it, the last of their inhibitions were shed as bodies whirled faster and the rhythms quickened. Sonny loosed her, now he circled her, stalking her, claiming her, his eyes intent on her face, Alexis not looking away but matching him as he came to face her again, step for step and turn for turn. Their bodies were in perfect sync, saying everything they had never dared to say aloud; holding out the promise of the fire that had sprung alive between them, kindled from the trust and friendship that had been born between them a lifetime ago… never before had she been this achingly aware of his body and been so all too aware of how little there as separating them. 

The heavy sinuous pulse of the music ensorcelled them, a willing magic. Their hearts, their bodies, beat as one with it, this she knew as surely as the tides of the ocean pulsing in the night somewhere beyond the lights and noise. A final strum of the guitars, a final triumphant pattering of drums and then the song was done. All around them, the dancers fell into each others arms, exhausted but laughing and excited. 

Sonny and Alexis stood in the middle of the jubilant throng, the cheering and laughing touching them not at all. 

After a few moments, the guitars began playing again, a soft and sweet melody. As one, Alexis and Sonny moved into each other's arms easily. They moved together for the first few measures of the dance, feeling their hearts slow and beat strongly against one another, and the warmth of their bodies pressing together, knowing it was not only from the exertions of the dance but something more deep inside the two of them.  Their eyes reflected that sudden knowledge. It was Sonny who stopped the dance. He held out his hand to her. "Let's go."

            They walked back to their table, pausing only long enough for them to pick up a bottle and two glasses. Together Alexis and Sonny walked away the circle of firelight and into the night.


	24. A Perfect Moment

**CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR **

A Perfect Moment  
  
_** author's note**  
My sincere apologies for the delay in this last update. Real life just gets in the way sometimes, what can I say. Much love and many thanks to my loyal readers…you all know who you are…and you're the ones that keep me writing. That said…. Enjoy!  
**_

The sounds of the celebration quickly floated away into the distance, except for an occasional errant burst of distant laughter or music dancing on the wind. Alexis and Sonny walked down the beach in silence. It was a comfortable silence, the quiet wordless kind that two friends can share, when their thoughts were shared, as so often Sonny and hers were. The only sounds were the whispering of the wind in the nearby trees and the rhythmic sighing of the dark ocean waves as they whispered softly along the sand and the occasional clink of the bottle of wine and the two glasses Sonny carried in one hand. 

The heat the dance had kindled in her body was dying away, and slowly being replaced by a second kind of heat. A more dangerous, intense kind of heat. Not the kind that dancing can invoke, but the kind that creates its own melody, that pulses and throbs to its own beat. 

Feeling the change taking place inside her, her eyes were drawn to him. Alexis slanted a quick glance at Sonny. It was like they were  in some alternate universe, where only she and him existed. In the pale blue-white moonlight, his eyes were dark, his profile unreadable, as were his thoughts. Alexis wondered what Sonny was thinking just now.  Her own thoughts were all in a jumble.  Overriding everything was her total awareness of him. Beyond the tropical fragrance of the night, Alexis could sense the scent of him, could almost feel the rhythm of his breathing, and she swore she could intuit the pulse and beating of his heart, knowing somehow that it beat in tandem with her own. She wondered if his thoughts echoed her own.

Like so many times before, there came proof that their thoughts were once more in perfect sync. "Right now, it feels like it's only you and me on this beach. And all I can see or think about is you." Sonny said, his voice a deep dark soft hush against the muted roar of the waves. Alexis felt his eyes as they glanced over at him."I know when you're quiet like this, you're thinking mighty hard. So, Alexis, tell me…what're you thinking about?"  
  
         Alexis let the breeze caress her face for a moment before answering. "You." she said simply. She hesitated for just the barest fraction of a second then reached out and slipped her hand into his and was gratified to feel his fingers curling around hers in silent response.   
  


"Just me?" Sonny's voice was lazily content.in the semi-darkness… "What about us?" he asked. 

Alexis sighed aloud. "That's just it.." she said. "What are we? Is there an us?"  
  


He didn't answer at first, but his grip tightened…Another pause of silence enveloped them until they came to a log half buried in the sand, a little ways above the tide line. At an inviting  gesture from Sonny, Alexis sat down and he sat beside her. "I don't know if there is an 'us'.  I don't know what possibilities an 'us' is as far as you and I go." She said.

Sonny didn't answer her. Instead, he handed her one of the glasses and  proceeded to pour the wine for the both of them.  Smiling at her as he placed one goblet into her hand, Sonny raised his glass to her and Alexis touched hers to his. She never could resist his smile in Port Charles. Here in the island, its power was sheer magic. The sound of their glasses touching silvered the air with a soft crystal chiming. 

"And just what are we toasting to?" she asked.

"To us… and to the question of the day…what about us?" 

"The $64,000 question." Alexis sipped at the wine before she answered, hiding the last of her confusion behind the action.  She watched Sonny as he drank deeply and then his gaze also turned to look out over the ocean as if entranced by the waves pulsing against the shoreline. He spoke again, without looking at her.  "I told you, this can take as long as you need it to be. We will happen, Alexis. But when, is all up to you."  
  
         His words echoed her earlier thoughts. If this is what she wanted…then she could have it all…And as Sonny lowered his glass, Alexis made a choice. She leaned forward and kissed him full on the lips. His lips, cooled by the wine, quickly warmed under her kiss. Alexis allowed herself to lean into his body, savoring the warmth that came from being so near to him. She let her lips linger on his. The kiss was sweet, more intoxicating than any wine and when it ended, both of their breathing was a little ragged.  

"Mmm…" Alexis breathed. "So, what about us, Sonny? How did we get here?"  She asked, even though her heart was pounding with what she thought was true. But it wasn't enough for her to think it; Alexis wanted, needed to hear him say it.

"Because we were friends, Alexis, and now…"  
  
         "And now?" Her voice was a half-whisper, as though afraid to give full voice to what she was feeling. If her heart had been pounding before, now it was a pile driver in her chest, drowning out all sense of rhyme or reason, especially reason. Nothing was left -  nothing but truth. Alexis didn't look at him directly, but instead chose to look back out over the waves, out towards the endless horizon. Somewhere beyond the waters, Port Charles waited. But tonight, nothing existed, but the truth. He was here, with her tonight, because he wanted to be. And so was she. That was the truth…. "And  -  and now, everything has changed. Because of you, and how I've come to care about you. I don't know how it happened, or even when, but it's happened – it's here and it's now and it's real. At least it is for me… " Her voice dropped as a tiny shiver of doubt rippled through her. She was presuming a lot, just on a night of music and dance…

  
         The soul-searching voice of a guitar echoed by the plaintive sounds of a saxophone rippled over the ocean waves, filling the fragrant night air with a whisper of sound in definite counterpoint to the steady throb of the silvered ocean waves.  
  
         "Don't…" Sonny reached out suddenly, bringing one hand to her face, caressing the fine long line of her cheekbone. His strong fingers cupped her chin and then turned her face to fully face him.  
  


"Don't do that Alexis, don't doubt yourself and what your feeling,…don't doubt me…don't doubt _us_. Don't you think it's the same for me?" His words were quick; his voice low and intense. "Don't you think I'm feeling everything you are right now? _Everything._"

As her gaze met his, Alexis suddenly realized that he _was_ just as afraid as she was. And as thrilled and as terrified and as attracted. But he _wanted _to be with her; she realized.. somehow, never mind how…he wanted her as much as she wanted him. That knowledge poured thru her like a rush of falling rain; drowning the last of her fears and prompting her to action. And with that knowledge, what came next seemed so naturally. Alexis leaned forward again to capture his lips with her own. He surrendered to her at once, letting her dictate the measures of the dance her mouth and his had begun.   
  
         Sonny found himself held motionless, unmoving in a haze of pleasurable shock, as Alexis' mouth moved over his. Warm and pliant, they moved softly against his own, tasting him. Briefly, her lips separated from his.

"Michael…." His name was a caress upon the air, one that Sonny thrilled to. His senses responded as though that single word had been an actual physical touch and he lost his breath in a silent gasp; his breathing deepened, muscles quivered and tautened and his heart… his heart leapt in his chest.   
  


  In the moments before she returned to the kiss, Alexis found herself gazing deeply into his eyes, sensing his reaction. She'd surprised herself, saying his name.  _I wonder when was the last time anyone called him Michael?_  With all her crazy, jumbled thoughts, this one pierced her to the heart in the very moment it was born. In a heartbeat born of shared pain, her own heart actually ached for him even in the midst of her own feelings of pleasure and emerging passion. _How lonely it must be, to never hear your name…to know that there is no one to speak the name you were given at birth. _ She knew that pain, she owned it…. She could easily clam it as one of her own.  Just like never hearing her own name, Natasha Kristin Alexandria Davidovitch Cassidine. Or even more simply, Natasha. Not said with mocking affection, like Luke Spencer was prone to do, or loathing, as Helena did, but with care, with genuine compassion. This thought traveled through her between one blink and the next. Now her eyes willingly, eagerly gave themselves over to Sonny' dark gaze. She could see the passion growing in his and knew it was mirrored in her own. 

Without words, yet another invisible thread of connection was created; weaving them closer to one another. This is how it had always been for them…one strand of common interest… of shared thoughts and emotions and then another and then another, until the thought of him not being a part of her life – and hers for him – became all tangled up together -- and unimaginable.   
  
         And for once in Alexis' life, this was a perfect moment. The night. The moonlit skies, spangled with stars. The sounds. The rush of the ocean waves echoing the beats of their hearts. The scents. The mingled fragrance of fire and wine and ocean and flowers and desire. 

_The man._

Sonny.

_Perfect._

The look in Alexis' eyes, her growing awareness and acceptance of his desire for her, beckoned Sonny closer. Giving in to his own desires, he took over possession of the kiss. His hands swept the length of her body, pausing gently but insistently, at her waist, from wrists to arms to pull her closer, and then they were tangling themselves into her hair, sweeping up into the pinned up mass of her hair, fingers sliding into it, instinctively finding the pins binding her hair and freeing it, bringing her hair tumbling down into his hands. He took ownership of her lips, her mouth, her senses, her very sense of self. 

Without ending the kiss, Sonny shifted his body, until he was kneeling before her in the sand. His arms swept around her body, pulling her against him. And surprise of surprises, Alexis sank down into the sand with him with hardly little more than a murmur of desire.  Sonny didn't trouble himself to question it; the sense of rational thinking was swiftly unraveling as Alexis' lips parted eagerly under his. It didn't matter that they couldn't hear the music anymore; the song their bodies were sharing now was the only melody they needed to hear.   
  



	25. Realities

CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE  
         Realities 

As they sank down into the soft cool sand, Alexis felt the last of her worries and concerns melt away. The only thing that existed was Sonny's lips, as he kissed her, and the feel of his body against hers. His arms around her were soul-stoppingly strong; in response, her own arms slipped around his shoulders to draw him even closer One of his hands dropped to caress the long and lean length of thigh exposed by her dress as they lay together, and then slid boldly upwards. Alexis let out a gasp as he touched her intimately. His lips lowered themselves to that long lovely expanse of throat, trailing feather light kisses along her skin, raising goosebumps as he went. 

Sonny murmured a wordless sound of gratification at her response. His mouth found it's way to the sweet juncture where neck meet jaw line and he paused to swirl his tongue into that sensitive spot. As Alexis arched under him; he delighted in her response.

A whisper of Spanish love-words vibrated against her skin, sending a shiver of desire through her.  
  


"_Senór_ Corinthos.." 

The voice was far off down the beach; for a second, it might even have been imagined, a secondary sigh in the hiss of the waves as they susurrated along the shore. Alexis paused; Sonny stilled. And the voice came again…. "_Senór_ … a thousand pardons…" the voice trailed off into Spanish.

Reluctantly, his breathing short and ragged, Sonny raised himself to a sitting position, Alexis quickly following suit just as the bodyguard arrived. His eyes tactfully cast aside; a spurt of Spanish poured out of his mouth and there was no mistaking the apologetic tone of his voice, if not his words. Alexis watched as Sonny cut the flood of words off, answering them in a sharp toned voice. The bodyguard offered him a phone and then stepped out of range.

Her attention turned back to Sonny and she watched his face with a suddenly sinking sensation settling into the pit of her stomach. Somehow, across the countless miles, their lives in Port Charles had somehow managed to reach out and touch them, even here in this midnight paradise. And the Sonny she knew all too well took the place of the Sonny she'd just discovered moments ago. He disappeared between one breath and the next, right before her eyes.

  
         The two men spoke a few final words, with Sonny obviously giving orders and then the man was running back down the beach. Sonny was done. He turned to her, and in his gaze, there was a shadow of  Michael there, but then he was gone. This interlude was done. He put out his hand to her and unthinking, she took it. His grasp was tight, Alexis watched him as he struggled briefly for control to banish the anger inside. She heard the iron control in his voice and the growing fury that under laid it. "Courtney's missing…she's slipped her guards." 

With that, Alexis knew their little escape from reality was over. Together, they began to walk back towards the pier where she was sure, their boat would be all ready standing by to whisk them away. "But Sonny, I thought you'd told me you promised her… no guards."

  
         "She has no idea of what she's dealing with… who she's dealing with!" Sonny's voice sharpened. "AJ's missing too.. how much do you want to bet that ain't no coincidence?" He began to walk faster, just under a run.

She wouldn't bet him either a Greek _drachma _or a Cossack _ruble_ _.  _More than likely, Sonny was right. It was no coincidence at all.  
  
***  
  
         Esteban and Marisol were waiting at the boat when they arrived at the pier. The two man crew were rapidly preparing to cast off. 

"My apologies, _Senór_ Corinthos, for the problems that have cut your visit with us short." Esteban said. "I hope it is nothing here that has caused any unpleasantness?"

Sonny shook his head sharply. "It wasn't, Esteban. Everything here was handled satisfactorily. I am very much pleased. So let your people know this. But I appreciate your concern." 

  
         While the two men spoke, Marisol turned to Alexis. "You left this." She draped Alexis' shawl over her shoulders, and pressed a small bunch of  _pasión_ _fuego_ blossoms into her hands. _"Estos tiempos de la felicidad volverán. Sea lo que él necesita ahora, cuando usted ha sido antes. Sé que él tendrá grande necesidad de usted pronto. Y regresa a nosotros cuando usted puede."_   Before Alexis could ask, she translated. "These times of happiness will come again. Be what he needs now, as you have been before. I know he will have great need of you soon. And come back to us when you can."

Marisol smiled at Alexis and stepped away and suddenly, there was no more time for words.It was time to go.

Other than a brief murmur of apology to her, Sonny had been all too quiet on the plane ride home. Once they were airborne, Sonny had left her to confer with the pilot, and had obviously stopped off in his private cabin to change. When he re-entered the cabin, he was dressed in his usual dark suited attire. 

Here eyes dropped down to her own clothing. The red dress seemed overbright all of a sudden and Alexis figured it was past time she got out of it. She stood up as Sonny moved towards his seat. A sudden jolt of turbulence sent her stumbling slightly and then just as suddenly, Sonny was there, steadying her. 

"Alexis?" Sonny had looked at her. "I'm sorry...for everything."  
  
         She hadn't trusted herself to speak. Alexis nodded once then fled his embrace for the sanctuary of  the other cabin, determined to show nothing of the emotions ripping thru her. Behind the closed door, however, a single solitary ragged gasp of pain ripped through her. She struggled out of her clothing, throwing everything down  and then just as quickly, jamming the jumble of clothes into the suitcase Kristina had prepared with such care. 

She dressed and then stared at herself in the mirror. Outwardly, she was the same as always, sleek and suited Alexis Davis, from the top of her Armani suit down to her Anne Klein shoes. Cool, collected, capable Alexis Davis. Nothing of what she was feeling showed in her eyes. She wouldn't let it.

**

The rest of the trip was uneventful. Except for the silence. Alexis tried more than once to talk to Sonny on the plane ride back to the States, but he had shut down on her.  She watched as he stared out of the window, lost in his own thoughts. Brooding no doubt. And probably blaming his sister's disappearance on himself, Alexis thought. All I can do is wait. Until he is ready…as long as he does nothing to hurt himself.  There was always that danger… as cold and as ruthless as Sonny could be when it came to "business", when it came to those he cared about, Sonny could be as reckless as any man. She only hoped that neither Courtney or AJ had done anything to provoke Sonny to act rashly. But even as she thought it, she knew it was a wasted wish. 

            Alexis sighed.  
  



	26. Home Again

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX  
         home again 

  
         She'd been drowsing on the trip back from the airport and hadn't even realized that her head had dropped down to rest on Sonny's shoulder. After the emotional intense highs and lows of the night, Alexis had fallen into an emotionally exhausted sleep. It was warm and comfortable and Alexis didn't ever want to move.  

"Hey Alexis," Sonny's whispered voice brought her gently to her half-drowsy awareness. "'We're home."  
   
         For a moment, she looked at him in sleepy confusion. The words had meshed so perfectly with the dream that had invaded her thoughts without her even realizing it. That they were just any other couple, returning home from a trip.  
  
         But that wasn't the case at all.  

Sonny watched Alexis as she slowly came awake. He'd been staring out the darkened window as dawn rose over the horizon. It had taken the rest of the night to complete their trip back to PC. Once they had landed and gotten into the waiting limo, he was lost in his own thoughts until, he became aware of a soft weight on his arm. Sonny turned his head carefully, his heart doing a little leap as he saw Alexis's head snuggle instinctively against him. He slipped one arm through her own and she shifted closer in response, her fingers seeking out and twining themselves in his. Sonny smiled softly and tightened his fingers around hers, enough to enjoy the silky texture of her skin, but not enough to wake her. 

Regret fluttered through him. Regret over what almost was, what might have been…Sonny knew he was being selfish; he knew that it was part and parcel of who and what he was. And the truth be told, he didn't often regret it. But in this moment, he regretted everything, with all of his heart. His voice softened. "Hey, Alexis…" And then those great big beautiful eyes were looking up at him. Unthinking, Sonny slipped the fingers of his free hand under her chin and raised her lips to his, brushing his own against hers lightly.  
  


But when they stepped from the limo, it was as though nothing had changed between them. Sonny's men were there in the garage, and there was nothing in their manner that gave them away. It was the same in the trip in the elevator that took them upstairs to the penthouse. The two of them go straight to his apartment. Sonny went to sit at his desk, flipping open his laptop. At the same time, he opened his phone and started dialing. Alexis went to the sofa and sat down. Nothing showed on his face, but Alexis knew he was seething. She waited until he hung up.

"Are you ready to talk yet?" Alexis asked. 

Sonny looked up from his desk, his dark eyes hooded. "What's there to talk about?" his voice was deceptively calm. "I'm just trying to locate my sister. "  
  
         "And when you find her? What happens then, Sonny?"

He shrugged; but that was never good enough for her before, and it certainly wasn't going to be good enough for her in particular now. Alexis stood and faced him. "What happens if she's with AJ? What are you going to do?"

His façade of coolness cracked a little; the heat of his anger showed in his voice. "What do you think will happen? What are you so afraid of?"  
  


"I don't know, and that's what I'm afraid of." Alexis just wanted to reason with him and touch the part of him that listened to her. "I know you love Courtney already. I know that her protection is the uppermost thing in your mind. But you've been awake most of the night. And you may not be thinking as clearly as you ought to be. As you need to be."

Before Sonny could answer, there was a chiming coming from the laptop. He pushed a button and an email opened up. She couldn't see the screen from where she stood, but something in his face changed; the sudden look in his eyes sent her rushing to his side. 

"Oh my God…" her voice trailed off. There were pictures; pictures of Courtney in bed. Despite the sheet covering her, an obviously naked Courtney smiling up at the camera. And the final picture was what Sonny had feared most. A smirking AJ smiling, in bed with Sonny's sister. 

Sonny sat there, silent for a long moment before he slammed himself away from desk. "Do I need to think any more clearly, Alexis?! You can see for yourself…everything is _crystal_ clear!" 

"Sonny, wait…" Alexis started, but he overrode her.

"Wait for what? I did wait… I tried to give Courtney every benefit of the doubt…I tried to warn her...she wouldn't listen…I stepped back – just like you suggested - and this is what happened! A man who hates me just as much as I hate him has used my sister to strike out at me!" Before she could say anything else, Sonny held up a hand, while he picked up his cell phone. He dialed a number and began barking out orders to whoever had picked up at the other end.

When he had hung up, Alexis tried again. "I just want you to wait a few hours, that's all. A few hours aren't going to make that much of difference as far as Courtney is concerned." Her eyes met his. "She and AJ are a done deal at this point, Sonny. You have to recognize that."

His response was a growl of anger. Sonny walked to the bar and poured himself a healthy shot. He downed it in a single swallow.   
  
         Alexis wanted to tell him that a drink was the last thing he needed, but she was wise enough to know better. She bit her tongue.  "Get some rest Sonny. Before you do anything else, promise me that you will do that. That's all I ask. For your sake as well as Courtney's."

"How am I supposed to rest?" Alexis saw through the anger to the pain just underneath and without thinking, she moved to stand before him. Unthinking, her hands reached out to hold his. His hands tightened on hers almost painfully, but she refused to let go. "Do you know what I will see if I close my eyes?"  
  
         "I know, Sonny." Alexis wished somehow that she will her strength into him. "I know what you will see. And I know how much it will hurt. But you have to remember, this is your sister.. if you hope to salvage any kind of relationship with her, then you are going to have to step back from the situation. When you see her, you are going to have to really see her. And listen to her. If you don't, you could loose her forever. And AJ will  have won. And you can't do that if you let your temper get the best of you. You need to rest. So you can to be in control. Of everything. And that means you need to rest."

Her words brought a semblance of  calm to him. Alexis always had the power to do that for him. As usual, she was right, and the thought forced a half smile to his face. Sonny sensed her relief. "Why are you always here when I need you?"

"Maybe because this is where I'm supposed to be?" Alexis answered him softly.   
  
         A knock on the door interrupted anything else they might have said. At a word from Sonny, Jason entered. 

Sonny turned back to Alexis. "I think you should take your own advice, councilor. A nap in the limo doesn't replace a few hours of rest. One of us needs to be clear-headed about the situation. And since you're better at that than I am, we should make sure that you are in top shape. I promise that I'll do the same as soon as I get the ball rolling on a few things."

"All right." Alexis said. More than this, she knew she couldn't hope for. Sonny was not a man to be pushed into anything. But he could be induced into listening to reason. And he counted on her for that.    
  
         Sonny watched as Alexis turned, and nodding slightly to Jason, left the room. She was always the voice of reason; her words lingered in his mind and why?… _maybe it was because she was supposed to be._  
  


"Alexis was with you when you got the call about Courtney?" Jason's question brought Sonny's attention back to the situation at hand. He nodded. He walked to the bar, his hand hovering over the scotch and then slowly withdrew. He remembered the look in her eyes when he'd had the first one. She hadn't said anything, but she hadn't had to. It wouldn't do his mood any good and she was right, damn her. Sonny smiled inside, however reluctantly. Alexis was right; he needed to go into this as clear headed as he could.   
  
            "Yeah, and she made some good points. Now what do you have for me?"  First he'd find his sister, then he'd deal with the rest.   
  
  



	27. Wilted Bouquets

**CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN  
         welcome home  
  
         **

Alexis hadn't thought she'd be able to sleep, but apparently she'd never even made upstairs to her bedroom. She awoke slowly, muscles protesting a little from  her position on her living room couch. She was surprised to find herself covered with a light blanket; that must have been Kristina's doing.

"Welcome back to the land of the living." Kristina's voice sounded from behind her. "I was just brewing some tea and it looks like you could use a cup."

She walked into the kitchen, returning shortly with two cups on a tray. She came back and sat opposite her sister before handing her a cup. "Now dish."

Alexis accepted the tea and took a sip before making a face.  "You and Jax should get together and exchange your recipes of witches' brews. You really should."

"Don't try and change the subject. Dish!"

"Dish?"  The memories of the last hours flickered through her, from the moment Sonny had ushered her into the limo until the moment when she'd awakened in the limo, where Sonny had kissed her so gently and with such… tenderness and regret…an answering throb of desire echoed through her, as her body remembered everything all too well  "There was so much going on… I can't describe it."  
  


Kristina's eyes were bright with curiosity. "Answer me this at least…was it everything you hoped for?"

"Let's just say it was more than I expected."

Kristina laughed at the familiar wryness in her sister's voice and finished her tea. "And since we both know that for you…that was a _major_ admission, I'll leave it at that." She stood, crossed over to Alexis and dropped a kiss on her forehead. "I have to run down to the studio for a little while; but maybe tonight we can go out to dinner and I can get the full 411." 

"You know, you're picking up this American slang all too happily." Alexis said with a smile as Kristina picked up a jacket and headed for the door. "And I've got a bone to pick with you about your conspiracy with a certain gentleman across the hall."

Kristina paused by the desk, picking up the now wilting bouquet of flowers. "Well, this says it was done for all the right reasons. So I know you can't be too angry at me." She picked up her purse and laughed at sister, blowing a kiss at her as she went out the door. Alexis shook her head as the door closed. 

_She and Sonny._ What a whirlwind of emotions she'd managed to her herself caught up in. And while so many questions had been answered, a thousand more seemed to have been left it their wake. She glanced at her watch and was surprised that almost three hours had passed since she and Sonny had returned to Port Charles. She must have been more tired than she had thought…. She wanted to lay her head back and close her eyes for a few minutes more… the night on the island seemed like nothing more than a beautiful dream, one that is slipping away from her even as she tries to hold on to the last wonderful moments of it. Her eyelids even began drifting downward, but then flew open as the memories of this, the morning after, came back in a rush… 

Alexis jumped to her feet and rushed to the door. Luckily, it was Johnny on shift today. Even though she knew suddenly, the answer to her question before she'd even asked it, she asked him if Sonny were in the penthouse. 

"No, Miss Davis, he went out a little while ago." Johnny answered. 

  
         "How long?" If her tone was sharp as it had never been with Johnny before, she didn't realize it.

"Maybe an hour… a little less…"

Illogically, Alexis found herself wondering….hoping… that Sonny had managed to get some rest before he'd gone back out into the street. Illogical, oh how very much so… but despite his fury, it was the heartache Sonny would be feeling that would be driving. But the combination of the two would only be fueled by his lack of sleep. And the consequences could be disastrous for all involved. 

Johnny looked at her concernedly. Normally, he wouldn't pry, but something in her face pushed him to. "Is there anything I can do? Do you need me to get in touch with Mr. Corinthos for you?"

She had no business interfering in his business, she knew that, God knew how she _knew_ that, but this wasn't strictly business. This was more personal.. But what rights does she have to interfere in the private side of his life? The conflicting emotions showed briefly on her face; but she was saved from answering by the phone ring sounding shrilly from her apartment.  
  


"No…" No, he didn't need her and she didn't need him "… no, that won't be necessary.." Alexis said, distracted by the sound of the phone. She turned and walked back into the apartment.

Johnny watched as the door closed behind his boss' attorney. And after about a half-second of hesitation, he pulled out his cell phone.

***

  
         "This isn't a good time, Jax."

"Truer words were never spoken…hasn't your mob client filled you in on what's been going on?"

"Jax…" she said his name with a definite warning in her voice. "I've just come back from an out of town business trip, and I haven't even managed to change out of the clothes I traveled in…so why don't you just fill me in?"

"Fine. Ned is looking for you. Seems like AJ has taken a little trip of his own. He's not sure exactly why yet, but he's hoping it doesn't have to do with Sonny's sister." 

The silence on the line gave him the answer he least wanted. "So Sonny does know." It wasn't a question.

"I'd say you probably knew before he did."

"And what is he going to do about it?"  
         

"I don't know."

"Well, I know this much...Ned has been out all night, using every lead and every contact he knows trying to track AJ down. As much as he won't want to, eventually he is going come to you, Alexis. I just hope he finds them before Sonny does."

Jax made his curt goodbyes. _So do I_, Alexis thought as she set the receiver back in its cradle. Her mind was still a-jumble with everything that had happened in the last twenty-four hours. 

On top of these new concerns, there was still Sonny…unwillingly, she worried…where was he? What was he doing? Alexis shook her head and went upstairs. There was nothing she could do for anyone at the moment. And suddenly, Alexis wanted nothing more than to take a shower and get herself clean.. A few long unthinking moments under a steaming hot shower sounded like a wonderful idea. 

A short time later, Alexis was walking downstairs; clad in a robe and toweling her hair. She'd resisted the passing urge to dress in more comfortable jeans and t-shirt. After all, that wasn't really her, any more than that passion-red dress had been. Instead, she'd opted for a navy pinstripe suit and somewhat sensible pumps. She laid them out carefully across the couch. Yes, sensible, no-nonsense, reliable. This is who she was. She had forgotten it for a moment. Not again.   
         

A knock on the door pulled her out of her reverie. _Sonny, thank God! _ The thought came unbidden. Nevertheless, Alexis rushed to the door and yanked it open. 

"Ned."


	28. Conversations and Confrontations

**CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT  
         conversations and confrontations**

 Ned looked around himself with distaste. His eyes came to rest on Johnny, whose features remained carefully neutral. "I need to talk to you; I think you know about what."

Inexplicably, Alexis was unwilling to let him into her apartment. She remained in the doorway, not letting him pass. Ned stiffened as she realized Alexis' intentions. "Then can we at least speak in private?"   
  
         Alexis flicked her glance at the bodyguard. "Johnny, can you give us a few minutes alone?" 

Johnny nodded once briefly, then stepped into the elevator. As the doors slid shut on him, Ned turned back to Alexis. "As I said, you know why I'm here. It's about my cousin. AJ's disappeared. I've tracked him down to a villa on an island called St. Sophia, registered under the name of Mr. & Mrs. Quartermaine and I'm willing to bet the farm that Courtney is there with him."  
  
         "Why are you telling me this, Ned.?"   
  


"I want you to come with me. Courtney knows you; maybe she'll listen to you while I try and talk some sense into AJ."

"Why would she listen to me? She knows I'm Sonny's…attorney. And she has no great love for him at the moment."  
  


"Can you blame her? AJ is no saint, but he's no Sonny Corinthos either."  
  


_And he's not quite the Sonny Corinthos you think he is_…Alexis wished she could explain Sonny to Ned; but never in a million years would Ned be able to understand him, she knew that. It was more than their past history at work here. Sonny truly cared so deeply for his sister, much more than she realized, much more than anyone could realize. Family was a very important cornerstone of Sonny's life. If only she could find the words to make  Ned understand.

Ned misread her hesitation. Or maybe he had it right. "Don't try to explain that miniature megalomaniac to me, Alexis! You can't tell him what I've told you either."

"He'll find out anyway," Alexis answered. "Don't you think he won't?"

"But we can be gone before he discovers where they are." Ned was insistent. "I have no great love for AJ, but I don't want to see him dead. If we can get to them first, we could prevent a tragedy from happening."

Alexis hesitated. Maybe she could circumvent and short-circuit this whole situation if she did go with Ned. But something in her wouldn't let her commit to what would be, essentially, a betrayal of Sonny. Ned continued to press her, but that thought stayed uppermost in her mind

            The elevator doors opened, and Sonny stepped out, Johnny a step behind. His eyes went directly to Ned; his entire being freezing at the sight of seeing Ned Ashton standing in front of Alexis' door. Instinctively, his body reacted at the sight of a rival. Ex-lover meant nothing…he had meant something to Alexis at one time, and that fact alone caused his hackles to rise.  His eyes narrowed.   
  
            There was only one thing that would bring Ned there. This had to be about AJ. He looks at Alexis. Sonny knows what Ned once was to Alexis. He knows what high regard she has for the law and how far she was willing to go to keep him within its boundaries when she can. But Sonny knows that Alexis also knows what he's capable of when he's enraged.   
  
            But did she also knows how powerful the urge to protect his sister was? Sonny said nothing, but only continued to look at Alexis, his eyes giving nothing away. But deep inside, he wondered, who would she choose…what would she choose? This seemingly simple choice could tear the newly born connection between them into irreparable shreds. 

            Alexis looked from Ned to Sonny. Two men she cared about…and somehow, impossibly they were here and it was in her worse case scenario…one against the other…what could she do? The battle of loyalties was hard fought in her heart and she struggled with the decision. It showed in her eyes.

            "Alexis, you can't..." Ned said, but for a moment, he might as well not have existed. Alexis' eyes met Sonny's.

            "Is there something you need to tell me, Alexis?" Sonny's voice was quiet. 

            "Alexis was on her way with me to L.A. to help with a contract dispute." Ned tried desperately to catch her eye, hoping she would back up his lie. But it was useless, Sonny heard the lie in his voice. He ignored Ashton and kept his gaze on Alexis.   
  


            But Ned wasn't willing to give up just yet. "Contrary to what you may think, you don't own Alexis, ok? She makes her own decisions."  
  


            Sonny spoke to Alexis. "You were here. You saw the pictures A.J. sent of Courtney. You know she's young, inexperienced. She doesn't know what kind of trouble she's in, so I got -- I got to get to her before A.J. does any permanent damage. You know all that. So if you know something, I'm asking you to tell me." 

            "Alexis, we've got to go.." Desperation edged Ashton's voice and Sonny noted that. "We've got to go …_now._"

            Alexis couldn't tear her gaze from Sonny's. What she saw there was what they had always had. Trust; honesty. How could she turn her back on it now?  
  


            "Ok," Sonny asked. "I'm only going to ask you once. If you say no, I'll believe you. Do you know where A.J. took my sister?"

            "Alexis…" She heard the pleading in Ned's voice. But she just couldn't do it; there had never really been a battle.  
  


            She spared him an apologetic glance. "I'm sorry, I can't do this…Courtney is Sonny's sister and he has every right to know where she is." Ned's face paled as she turned to Sonny  "Courtney and A.J. are in a villa on an island called St. Sophia."

            Sonny exhaled silently without realizing he'd been holding his breath. She'd chosen _him. _"Thank you."

            "How could you!?" Ned shouted in fury. He reached out to grab Alexis by the arm and jerked her roughly around to face him. "You betray my family for…for this!?"  
  
            "Ahh!" Before he could say anymore, Ned found himself slamming against the wall opposite Alexis' door. Then a fist buried itself in his gut doubling him over with a second grunt of pain. A hand twisted itself in his collar, jerking him painfully upright.

            "Don't you EVER raise a hand to Alexis again!." Sonny snarled in his face. 

            "Sonny, no!" Alexis cried out. Sonny had moved so fast, she'd been frozen in place. "Please!"

            Sonny hesitated, then tossed Ned in the general direction of the elevator. "Johnny, take the garbage out. And make sure he isn't allowed back here without the express permission of Ms. Davis."

            Johnny moved as though to escort Ned to the elevator, but Ned snarled a curse at him and stumbled in by himself. He turned and faced them.  His eyes fastened onto Alexis. "I won't ever forget this." He said to her. 

            "Ned, it will be all right, I pro-"

            "I won't forget it either, Ashton." Sonny said. "And if you ever even think about threatening Alexis again, you won't either." He jerked his head at Johnny. "Escort _Mister_ Ashton from the premises."

            "My pleasure." Johnny said. He punched the button and the doors slid shut.

            Ned leaned against the wall and willed the pain to go away. He noticed Johnny watching him, eyes impassive. "So what now, do I get a work over from one of Sonny's favorite mindless goons?"

            "I was instructed to escort you from the premises. Those were my orders. And for the record, I'm no mindless goon; I'm one of Mr. Corinthos' trusted employees. Some of my duties include seeing to the welfare of those Mr. Corinthos cares about as well." He stepped close to Ned and the neutrality in his eyes was replaced with a glint of steely anger.. "And if _I_ ever see you lay a hand on Ms. Davis again, I won't be waiting for any orders. That's for the record as well." 

            They reached the ground floor, and the doors slid open. Johnny put one hand under Ned's arm and propelled him forward into the lobby. "Max, see Mr. Ashton to his car. He was just leaving...and he won't be back."

***

            So angry he didn't trust himself to speak, Sonny walked into his apartment. He went straight for the telephone and made several calls, setting in motion the actions that would verify the information Alexis had given him. He turned to see her standing in the doorway. 

            "Don't expect me to apologize." He said roughly before he turned back to his desk. He hoped she didn't ask for that or an explanation either, because he didn't have one… How could he explain it? He knew that Ned would never hurt Alexis on purpose, but once he'd put his hand on her, his own reaction had been purely instinctive. Sonny hadn't even realized that he hit him until he'd become conscious of Alexis' voice pleading with him not to hurt the other man. He could still feel the adrenalin pumping though his body.

            "I wasn't expecting you to." Alexis stepped forward into the room. 

            Sonny felt her stop somewhere behind him.

            "I know it's the situation with Courtney and AJ that have you on edge. And Ned was out of line."

            "He thinks you're out of line.. that you betrayed him." 

_            But I have to be true to myself before anyone else._ Alexis thought to herself, even as the pain of what she had done lingered deep in her heart. Her throat tightened in remembered anguish. There was no way she could make Ned understand… there was no way she could have stood and looked Sonny in the eye...and lied. 

  
            Before she could answer, the phone rang. Sonny snatched it up. Obviously, whoever was on the other end had told him what he wanted to hear. Moments after he hung up, he was headed towards the door. He stopped at the threshold. "I'll tell the pilot we'll be ready for take-off within the next thirty minutes."  
  


            "I can be ready in fifteen."  
  



	29. Wedding Bell Blues

**CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE**

**wedding bell blues**

This second plane trip was like something out of a bad dream. A mirror image of their previous trip, and a bad one at that. The thrill of anticipation that had been such a part of her before had been replaced by dread. Like something out of tales from the darkside and sadly, of Sonny's own darker side. Alexis had known all along that it existed, but she wasn't often in the presence of it.

         But it happened, in unholy living color. First there was the journey to St. Sophia. Most of it which was done in silence. There had been only one exchange.

         "You were planning to go with Ned to find AJ and Courtney." It wasn't a question. Sonny's tone of voice was carefully neutral.

          "Yes." Alexis knew this: a good defense consisted of never telling more than you were asked.

         "So you were going to take care of it?"

         "If I could, yes."

         "I thought I could trust you."

         "I thought I just proved that you could."  
  
         ***  
  


         She spent the rest of the plane ride flipping through pages of a magazine and not seeing a single word while Sonny played an unnervingly silent game of solitaire. That went on until the pilot announced their descent.  
  


            "I got it now." 

            Sonny looked at her..

            "I've been sitting here thinking about our strategy."

            "Our strategy…" Sony said slowly. "…Our?"

 She took  a deep breath and met his stare. Sonny's eyes still dark and still, taking everything in but letting nothing back out.  Alexis continued. "Yes, we need to come up with a plan. I mean, if you're going to kill AJ, then the best possible line of defense would be to claim crime of passion. After all, AJ has deliberately gone after your sister in a unmistakable calculated manner. But with us flying down her, it kind of negates the crime of passion defense, it could be argued premeditation.. and we don't want to go there – trust me on that."

"I know what you're trying to do."

"I'm trying to put together the best possible defense for you. Which is what you pay me very exorbitantly to do."

"You're trying to make me think."

"That would be a good thing, you know." Inwardly she breathed a silent sigh of relief as his eyes thawed the slightest bit. They weren't out of the woods yet, but  at least, she'd gotten inside that icy silence, at least she'd gotten him to talk. That had to be a good thing.  "Thinking, I mean. If I thought that for one minute that you were going down to the islands to kill AJ, I wouldn't be here. I know that you're much too intelligent of a man, despite your temper…which can be formidable… than to do such an unthinking act."

"In her head, Courtney has been beat down by everyone she knows. Her mother, Mike – they played mind games with her head, they played games with her life -  and she ain't too fond of me and who I am either. But she doesn't know what kind of snake AJ really is." Sonny gazed out the airplane window. He closed his eyes; Alexis could feel the pain radiating out from him like a physical thing and it resonated through her. Her heart ached for him and yet there was nothing she could do. She watched as Sonny opened his eyes but wouldn't turn to meet her gaze. Putting himself back in control, she knew it. 

He spoke again, his voice slightly heavy with carefully reined-in emotion. Someone who didn't know him might not even notice the difference. Alexis did. "If I don't take care of my family, what kind of man am I?"

_ The kind of man who hurts and hurts and never lets anyone see just how much you really care. _ Alexis thought. Aloud, she said to him,"Then remember why we're going…this is about Courtney, not AJ. We're here because you want to take care of your sister. No more - no less."

Sonny turned his gaze from the window and looked at Alexis. He wasn't used to sharing his pain with anyone. Alexis' eyes so intent on his were open wounds on his heart, and his pain that there was another woman he couldn't help, couldn't save, tore open the old scars on his heart, leaving it raw and bleeding.  Not trusting himself to speak, Sonny nodded once sharply, and then turned back to the window, letting himself get lost in his own thoughts.        
  
         After that, everything took on the aspects of a bad movie. A very bad movie. Sonny had sunk back into an icy silence that Alexis could feel, despite the tropical heat. They found the hotel easily enough and walked into and empty suite. Or so Alexis had  hoped. They found them in the worst possible scenario…in bed…and then Sonny, in a wild montage of wrath-filled action, was at AJ's side, dragging him from the bed he shared with Sonny's sister. Then he was out on the balcony, hands wrapped around his hated enemy's throat, crushing the breath from him.

         And then there was Courtney, screaming the words that halted them all in shock. "Sonny, no…please! He's my husband!"

         A very bad movie. With extras, as it turned out: cue entrance: the appearance of Skye and Jax. Her presence there with Corinthos was instantly noted by Jax…his eyes were sparkling with anger  Another storm on the horizon, Alexis thought to herself.

         But she had to calm the storm at hand first. Somehow Alexis has managed to get Sonny out of the room for a short time before things got worse. How that could happen at this point, Alexis didn't know, but then again, she'd thought that when Sonny had his hands around AJ's throat and then things had definitely taken a downturn for the worse when Jax showed up.  And she wasn't about to wait around and find out what else could go wrong either.  She tried to take Courtney aside and talk to her, but she proved to be just as infuriatingly stubborn as her brother. 

         AJ attempted to turn the sudden influx of guests in his honeymoon suite into an impromptu wedding celebration, complete with wedding cake and champagne. Alexis managed to talk to Sonny off to one side as AJ spoke with his sister and Jax, one arm possessively around the waist of his new bride. 

         "You did the right thing, you know." Alexis said to him out on the balcony. If she didn't get him away from both AJ and Jax, something bad was bound to happen. Sonny was too much in control, She eyed him carefully. After speaking with Courtney, he'd seemed resigned if not overjoyed, but for some reason, little warning bells were still going off in her head. "You've got to let her make her own mistakes. She's young, but she's also a grown woman. There was no way you could have stopped her from marrying AJ if that's what she wants to do. Fighting her now will only drive her away from you. And when she realizes what mistakes she's made, I'll be there to help her out of it. But you did the right thing."  
  


         "Did you know he offered to trade Courtney for Michael?" The anger he'd buried for his sister's sake blazed in his eyes momentarily. "Oh yes.. and you say I did the right thing." Sonny said, his eyes went to the back of AJ's head. "Then why does it feel like a knife in my gut?"  
  
         She had no answer for that. Alexis wished she could take the hurt from him. Without thinking, one hand came up to briefly touch the side of his face. His eyes softened momentarily. "I know, Alexis." Sonny said, in one of those moments when they could read each other's mind. "I'll be all right. You just gotta let me deal with this in my own way."  He turned away from her, staring into the night sky, lost in his own thoughts.  Knowing it was the best thing to do, Alexis backed off and gave him space.

         She met Jax at the balcony door. He barely spared her a glance and it was obvious from his determined expression that he seemed intent on speaking with Sonny. 

         "This isn't a good time, Jax." She said, barring his progress with her body.

         "Have you taken on bodyguard duties as well, Alexis?" He said, looking down at her. Jax was not a happy camper. "Except for Courtney, we all know that AJ married her for all the wrong reasons. The question is, what is her brother going to do about it?"

         "Accept it…so leave him alone to do just that. Look, everything is a done deal. What are you going to do now? Go out there and pour fuel on the flames? You want to precipitate the very actions you're afraid will happen?" she asked. Her voice firmed. "If not, then leave him alone. It's enough for right now, that he accepts this marriage."

         "Does he? Perhaps I'd like to hear that from his own mouth."

         "Jax, you know I love you, but I am not going to stand here and watch the two of you go at one another. It's been a long, exhausting night for all of us. Leave it alone…please?"

          As always, Jax found it hard to refuse Alexis. "Only because you ask. But you owe me, Alexis."

         "Feel free to collect anytime." Grateful, she reached up and kissed him on the cheek. Then glanced over his shoulder. "And you'd better go tend to your own traveling companion before there's another situation on our hands."

         Jax turned and looked in Skye's direction. Standing with her brother and his new wife, she was nonetheless watching the two of them very intently. "My turn to save your ass, Alexis."

         Alexis glanced at Skye and then back to Jax and her lips quirked themselves into a reluctant smile. "It's yours I'm worried about…" 


	30. Meanwhile, back at the ranch

**CHAPTER THIRTY**

** Meanwhile, back at the ranch…  
** 

         Earlier that same evening… 

 "You might as well tell me. You always feel better when you tell me what's on your mind and we both know it."

         "And we both know that you won't let up on me _until_ I tell you whatever it is you _think _is on my mind."

         "Not think…know."

         "Why don't you jump on your horse and go rescue someone else? Damn you and your white knight syndrome."

         Jax just grinned at Carly. "C'mon, princess…you know  you want to let it all out."

         "I hate when you call me that." Carly tried glowering at him, but it didn't work. A smile tugged at one corner of her mouth, despite herself. It rarely did anymore.   
  


         "No, you don't." Jax said, letting his amusement show in his voice. He and Carly were in their shared office of Club 101. Carly was sitting behind the large white pine desk, and Jax had propped himself comfortably on one rounded corner. Jax watched the fall of golden hair that spilled over her face as she looked down at the papers on her desk. Once again, he reminded himself how diligently Carly had applied herself to everything concerning the club… The princess nickname had come as Jax had watched how demanding she was with everything from the design to the menus. She'd known exactly what she wanted, and had demanded nothing less than what her vision required. And the results had been stunning.  
  


         In spite of himself, he'd come to see that the ex-Mrs. Corinthos had had some qualities worth admiring. She was headstrong, impetuous and had a fuse on her temper that was firecracker-short, but she was everything he'd thought her to be, but also so much, surprisingly more, he'd soon come to realize. It had been a revelation. What had begun as a chance to help a woman out of a distasteful situation – and – he had had to admit to himself, a chance to stick it to Corinthos on a new front – had metamorphosed itself into something entirely different. And he'd come to see Carly in a whole new light – as a person in her own right, not just Mrs. Corinthos. Somehow, he _cared._ And because of that, he pushed at her again. "And don't try and change the subject."

         Carly shook her head, exasperated. He wouldn't leave her alone unless she told him what had happened today. But when she thought about it, it made her blood boil all over again. 

         She'd gone by the penthouse again. She'd been calling ever since she'd seen Sonny and Alexis pull off in their limo. And there had been no answer either for Sonny's private line or his cell. The few times she'd gone by there in person, Johnny had been on his shift, and they both knew she'd get nothing from him. But it was Sunday, and Johnny usually didn't work on Sundays. So she'd taken the chance of dropping by. And it had worked.

         Max was relatively new to the job. He didn't know her well – or the specifics of her relationship with her ex-husband. But he did know that she was the mother of "his" child. And that worked for her. When she stepped off the elevator, Carly was all innocence and light from head to toe, in a golden yellow dress that showed all her best assets but at the same time declared that butter wouldn't melt in her mouth. 

         "Just tell me when he'll be back, so I can tell his son… Michael really does miss his daddy. I'm just thinking about my – our – son. I'm really hoping that his father can get back to maybe read him a bed time story over the phone. "

         "Mr. Corinthos' itinerary has his plane leaving for St. Sophia, but I'm sorry, there's no return flight schedule that I know of."  
  


         Carly made her face fall into a disappointed but attractive pout. "Oh, maybe he's gone on vacation." Slanting her eyes up at him slightly, Carly was gratified to see his face take on a very sympathetic expression. 

         "Oh I don't think he was. Mrs.. Corinth-" he caught himself as he recalled her now-divorced status; flushing slightly as he corrected himself.  "Ma'am… Miss…ahh... I don't think it was a vacation. He took his attorney with him; you know, Ms. Davis, the lawyer that deals with his .um.. more legal concerns. I'm sure it was just a short business trip. They came in from one trip and hours later were gone again. They only took a small suitcase each." 

         He seemed to realize that he was rambling and closed his mouth. Carly knew she'd get little else from him, but what she'd gotten was enough. More than enough. Somehow she managed to keep a calm expression on her face, even though his news was like a shock of cold water to her system. She managed some sort of coherent reply and goodbye before stalking into the elevator. She barely managed to hold on until the doors slid shut behind her before letting loose with a stream of curse words. _How could he want to be with Alexis. _ She thought with fury. _ That dried up, sanctimonious holier-than-thou old hag! _

"She thinks just because Sonny takes her business advice that she's got some sort of connection to him on any other level. She's wanted him from the day she's met him." Carly fumed out loud.  It was easy for her to dismiss the fact that Alexis and Sonny had formed a friendship that had nothing to do sex and all to do with trust and friendship. In Carly's mind, men and women didn't have "just" friendships. She'd never been friends with a man she hadn't had sexual attraction to. Otherwise, why bother?  She conveniently forgot the fact that nine times out of ten, it had been Sonny going to Alexis and not the other way around. It was much easier to blame everything on Alexis. 

         She gave Jax the sanitized version, editing out the half-truths and manipulations. It was enough. And instead of chastising her on the dishonesty that she showed Sonny's bodyguard, Jax as usual, went straight to the heart of the matter. "Why did you go there? What did you think you were going to accomplish except hurting your ownself? Why are you doing this to yourself?" 

         She didn't have an answer to that. She wasn't sure if she'd like it if she did. _Damn you Jax!_ She said in her head. The pain in her heart outweighed her common sense and out of sheer habit, she took shelter in a flurry of painful words.  "Look, this don't have nothing to do with the club...so why don't you just save the saving for someone else! Why are you all up in business that isn't yours!? Just because you hate Sonny?" As usual, when in pain, her instincts led her to attack, and as always unerringly sought out and found the most tenderest spot. "Brenda is nothing but so much history now…so why all the hatred for Sonny today?"

         It was an old wound, but  her words peeled back the scab and it still managed to hurt with a searing pain. Jax stood and walked out of the office, not stopping until he was out in the hall leading back into the club. _ Why are you all up in business that isn't yours!?_      

         "Maybe just because I don't want to see you hurt anymore, Carly." Jax said aloud.  He walked into the club, nodding and smiling mechanically to the patrons who crowded the room  and made his way to the bar. "Vodka. Neat." He called out to the nearest bartender. 

         "Make it two." 

         Jax didn't move but waited for his drink to be served. He downed it in a single gulp. Moving to take the space beside him, Mason Lane reached for his glass and did the same. "_Prosit_." He said in a toast before draining the glass. 

 Jax drained his shot glass. The drink did nothing to lighten his mood and so he turned an irritated eye to his sometimes business compatriot.

         Mason returned his look with a laugh. "What is it Jax?" he taunted…you look like a man with women problems. Which is it, the ex-wife or the current partner?"

         Jax was hardly amused. "Why are you still here in PC, Mason? Which one is it? My ex-wife or my business partner?" He shot back, feeling a sudden need to emphasize the business in business-partner.

         " I think your business partner is more available." Mason countered. "You're ex-wife seems otherwise occupied." 

         That brought to mind subjects he'd rather not face right now. " I could say the same for Carly. She's doesn't need a distraction right now."

         "Is that how she's described me? As a distraction?" Mason laughed. "I hardly think she'd agree with you." He signaled to the bartender to refill their glasses and that was done, he raised his glass to Jax. "I continue to be interested in Caroline for the same reason you continue your partnership. She has a way of getting under your skin, doesn't she?"

         Jax didn't answer, which gave Mason all the answers he needed. He laughed again, slapping one hand on Jax's shoulder. "It's no shame to admit it."

            "You must have a death wish, my friend. One week you're flirting with Alexis, the next with Caroline Corinthos."  
            

            "Caroline Benson, isn't it?"  
            

            "I haven't noticed HER using any name change. And it could be that the maybe ex- Mr. Corinthos might not take too kindly to any friend of mine dating his maybe ex- Mrs. Corinthos either."  Jax sent an unspoken plea heaven-ward. Although he wouldn't wish Sonny Corinthos on his worse enemy, he couldn't think of another way to get Alexis out from under his influence. It was clear from his earlier conversations with Ned, that she was slipping deeper into his world every day.

            "What's life without a little danger to add some spice to it. It makes the stew all the more savory."

            "Have you ever heard of too many spices spoiling the pot?  That's what you're doing if you're planning on playing both Alexis and Carly? Two more different women I can't think of."

         Mason shrugged. "I'm a man of varied tastes. And I like to indulge myself in all the flavors the lovely women in this world have to offer."  He looked closer at Jax "Is that why you're out here, drinking neat shots of vodka? Has she gotten under your skin? And she's done something to make you very, very mad, hasn't she, my friend? I can see how a woman like our Caroline could drive you to distraction – or drink. She's stubborn, self-centered, and selfish, but despite all of that, there's something more to her, the way she lives life...on her terms and no one else's.  There's a certain joie de vivre about her, isn't that true?  And knowing you as I do, my friend, you thought she needed rescuing, but she doesn't, and no doubt she let you know it." He tsked tsked at the other man.  "Wrong move, my friend. But never fear…I'm sure I can get her out of whatever funk you've put her in." He walked away laughing before Jax could respond. 

         Jax started after him, something unnamable and indefinable inside him was telling him to go after Mason and get some answers out of him.. something just wasn't sitting quite right with him regarding Mason's all too glib answers, but before he could pursue the matter.  he was halted by the insistent shrilling of his cell phone. .He answered it. "Hello? Skye? Wait a minute." He tried to slow down her frantic words. "What's this about AJ?"

  
  
**  
  


         Carly stared at the door, a shade of regret already in her eyes even as the door closed quietly behind Jax. The fact that he didn't slam out of the office, spoke volumes about how much he'd hurt him… and that was when she'd realized how much she had actually hurt him. His quietness struck at her worse than any amount of shouting from him could have done. She hadn't meant to strike out at him, she hadn't meant to hurt him… not like this…. Jax had been nothing but kind to her since Sonny had thrown her out of his life. 

         She looked around the office, suddenly miserable. Here she was, sitting in the middle of her dream, and it had been Jax that had made it all possible. He'd given her dream wings to fly with and look at how she repaid him. Carly bit her lip. One more time she spoke first and thought about it later. Jax knew her well enough she'd explain it to him and things would be all right between them. Wouldn't it?

         A noise from the hallway momentarily distracted her from her thoughts and a hopeful smile crossed her face. That was Jax now, coming back to see how she was. Carly knew what to do. She do something silly to make him call her princess again, and then they'd share a laugh and somehow, everything would be all right. Struck by a sudden idea, she grinned triumphantly. She'd even have a drink, one of his favorites, ready for him… it was just the plan she needed; Carly's lips curved upwards in a smile and she laughed aloud. Tonight, she was going to make things up to Jax. He'd be impossible to work with otherwise. At least that's what she told herself. Admitting that she'd done something wrong was not a part of her mental make-up, not even to herself.

         Moving quickly to the side bar, she set out two glasses, hand automatically reaching for the brandy and had the decanter uncorked and halfway to a pouring position before she caught herself. _Damn,_ she thought to herself, brandy was Sonny's drink. When was she going to get that man out of her system? Never, probably. And it was the same for him; they were in each others' blood and that would never change. . Carly sat the decanter back its place and reached for the vodka instead. Russian vodka was Jax's choice of drink. On ice and with a twist of lemon. Of which there was none on the bar. She'd have to go out front to get some fresh slices. And no dubt run into Jax in the hallway. Oh well, she thought,  that would make it that much easier to get him back into the office. 

         Carly walked to the door. What was taking him so long? She thought she heard a voice, talking quietly. Ah, she thought, he was probably on the phone. Doing something outrageous, like ordering her a dozen yellow roses. Or two dozen maybe. He'd done things like that before, whenever she'd get into a funk over loosing Sonny and her marriage. It was just like him. She'd have to think of something to surprise him with one of these days. And soon.

            She didn't know why she'd done it, but Carly cracked the door open as quiet as she could. Carly knew whatever Jax was planning was meant to be a surprise, but  she could never resist not finding out. She was startled to recognize the voice as being Mason's instead of Jax. But the nosiness in her prompted her to listen on his conversation.   
  
            He was standing in the hall a few feet from the door, his back turned away. No doubt he'd come there for the relative privacy. He probably didn't even know she'd been in the office all this time. "Why yes, I am enjoying myself. It was all that you promised…and more." He laughed. " No, there's no need to worry about me, I never forget where my loyalties lie."

            A wave of heat flushed Carly's face and an angry glint sparked into her eyes. All thoughts of Jax went flying out of her mind..  Mason had been paying very close attention to her lately. But obviously, she hadn't been the only one. Who else was he playing games with?  Who had his loyalty? Who was he making her fool of in front of? The thought of anyone laughing at her filled her with sudden rage. 

            She doubted if she'd get a straight answer out of him, he was much too sly for that, so Carly decided to let his own words hang him.  She eased the door open and slipped into the hallway silently.

            "I'll see you as soon as I am able." Mason was saying. "It's just business that keeps me… and you know how I get about business…" he laughed again. "Yes, I always get very involved in my business… you know me so well." Another laugh, pitched low and intimate, set Carly's blood to boiling all over again.  "Too well? Perhaps. Maybe it's time to show more of my unpredictable side."

         Mason ended the call a few moments later. He slipped his cell phone into his inside jacket pocket, and then with turning around, spoke aloud. 

            "And Carly" he said, "Next time you want to know what I have to say, you might ask first."


	31. Questions

**CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE  
         questions…**

**  
  
**

"So, what should I ask you about? Your wife?" Carly flung the words at him, before she turned and marched back into her office, her face red from a mix of anger and the embarrassment of having been caught eavesdropping.. Mason followed her, but to her surprise, he laughed, virtually in her face. He closed the door and leaned against it.

 "A wife?" he laughed louder, and unaccountably furious, Carly swung at him, intending maybe to scratch his eyes out, or deliver a well deserved slap to his face. But Mason caught her wrist and used her own momentum to pull her into his arms.

"That, my darling nuisance, was one the representative of some of  my closer business associates. They were simply wondering why I am lingering in Port Charles, and if the reason were business or personal. What you heard was my assuring them that my interests here for the moment, are definitely all about business…but it's personal business, isn't it?"

            "And why should I believe you?" Carly demanded. 

            "And what reason do I have to lie to you? Are you in love with me, so that you should suddenly _care?_" Mason laughed at her again, totally amused. "Let's be honest with one another, if nothing else. Can you be as honest as I'm prepared to be? You aren't in love with me, any more than I'm in love with you. I do enjoy your company, and why shouldn't I? Aren't you beautiful and desirable?" He pulled her hard against him. "Well?"

            "I'm not about to deny it," Carly said finally. He was a skillful and very attentive lover, but she knew that for the two of them, their affair did not deal with their hearts.  It didn't stop  her fro being angry with him and she tried to scowl at him. But Mason had found away awhile ago, how to pierce thru her defenses. "And fine, let's be honest…no I'm not in love with you and I know you're not in love with me."

         "Are you still in love with your mob boss husband?" Mason felt her body stiffen in his arms and laughed again, pressing an insistent kiss on her. He laughed against her lips as she pushed at him half-heartedly and deepened the kiss until she'd responded. "I think I have my answer, but I won't press you further. We can make love without being _in_ love, I think we've proved that." He  caressed her lips with her own. "But, let's change the subject to something more pleasurable. Now I have to make this misunderstanding up to you, don't I? Tell me you don't like the idea of that?"

         Carly smiled reluctantly, but with a trace of calculation lingering around the corner of her lips. "Yes, I do. I'm liking the idea of that very much. So what are you going to do about that.? Something totally extravagant, I hope?"  
  


         "Allow me to surprise you."

         "Surprise me how?"

         "If I told you, would it be a surprise?"

         Carly conceded that it wouldn't.

         "Think of long limo rides, of golden yellow roses, and champagne. That should do to get things started, shouldn't it?"  
  
         "It might." It would, but she wasn't about to admit that. Mason kissed her one more time before exiting her office. Carly sat back down at her desk looking at the closed door and reached for the invoices on her desk, all thoughts of Jax gone from her mind.

*** 

Two hours later, she left her office. Walking through the public area of the club, she was pleased to see that it was another night of wall to wall customers. She saw no signs of Jax, but shrugged it away. They'd talk before the week was out.  He'd get over it. It wouldn't be the first tie they'd locked horns, and it wouldn't be the last. 

It took her more than a few minutes to make it to the entrance of the club, so many people wanted to shake her hand and congratulate her. The men were openly admiring of her and the women, well, who cared what the women thought? But she was glad to step out in the cool night air, just in time to see a long black limo pull up to the curb. Perfect timing.

"Your timing was perfect." Carly said, jumping into the depth of the limo and settling herself comfortably. "I hope you have champagne and plenty of it, just like you promised. I'm absolutely parched…. I swear if Jax tries to lecture me one more time, I'll scream."  
  


"I do hope you won't. I abhor loud noises." The cool voice froze Carly in mid-rant. Her head snapped up to see the crystal flute being offered to her.  
  


"Would you take this already? I'm hardly used to pouring my own champagne, let alone anyone else's. Come now, Mrs. Corinthos, if I'd meant you any harm, you'd be dead already." She tapped on the intercom. "Drive, Raoul."

Carly stared in shock at the face of Helena Cassidine. "You're supposed to be dead."  
  


"You've heard the adage about reports of my death being greatly exaggerated. Take it to heart, Mrs. Corinthos...or shall I call you Caroline? Please don't insist on Carly… it's rather gauche." She offered the glass again. Seeing Carly look at it suspiciously, Helena laughed softly, poured a second glass from the bottle and drank deeply. "There, that should assuage any of your suspicions, my dear."

"What do you want? What is this, a setup?"   
  


"To discuss with you a matter of mutual importance. As for a setup, you jumped into my limo, my dear. I did want to talk to you, but I hadn't planned on it this soon. But, as you'll find out, I'm a woman who knows how to take advantage of any situation. I think you are much the same." In answer to Carly's still wary expression. "In case you didn't recognize it, that was a compliment. I'm not in the habit of giving them often."

"You're right, if you wanted me dead, I'd be dog food already." Carly accepted the champagne from Helena, then sat back warily, the wheels in her mind spinning wildly. "So what is this matter of mutual importance?"  
  


"Alexis."  
  



	32. Answers

**CHAPTER THRITY-TWO  
answers**  
  
         Alexis.

Sonny.

Sonny and Alexis  
         Alexis and Helena

Helena… _What did that half-crazy old ex-queen of whatever have in mind? _

Walking down the hall to her office, those were the thoughts that kept swirling around in Carly's mind. If Helena could get Alexis out of her way, her life would be that much easier, that's for sure. And Helena did want Alexis out of the way, same as Carly did. More than Carly did. Helena knew Alexis well enough, as she had explained in the limo. Alexis had always been one taking on airs being conceited when she had no real reason to be so. She wasn't even a real Cassidine, Helena had confided in her, but just a bastard fathered by her husband, that she had taken in out of pity after her mother had died.   
         So it turned out that Alexis deserved whatever Helena wanted to hand to her, Carly was convinced of that… and once that decision was made, she put it out of her mind, just as she paused before the office door. Her first priority was on making things right between she and Jax. They hadn't really spoken since that last time, when she'd hurt him so badly. She hadn't meant to. He had to know that. He _had_ to.

         Carly opened the door slowly. She peeked into the office. Jax looked up; his expression carefully neutral. 

"Good evening Carly," Jax said as Carly walked into the office. "I thought this was the start of your vacation?"  
         "It is. Michael's been missing me so much, I thought it was a good idea to spend some time with him. Thanks for understanding."

One thing Jax had learned was how deep the love for her son went. A mother's love was special; Jax knew that first hand, remembering how his own had – and still did – dote upon him and love him so remarkably unconditionally. In spite of himself, he smiled.  "Every boy needs his mother."

_His father too,  Carly thought but kept that to himself. Neither did she mention that Sonny's birthday was coming soon as well. These next few days off should give her time to come up with a way to get herself back into his bed...and his life. Either would do; and both would get her what she wanted. She certainly didn't need any Cassidine to help her with that!  _

         "I just wanted to make sure you had the latest invoices for this week." Carly handed him a folder.

Jax opened it and a card fell out. He picked it up. "Open reservations for the Crystal Garden in Chicago?"

Carly shrugged. "I thought we might check out some competition."

"Is this your way of apologizing?"

"It could be…" Carly admitted.

"But the reservations are in my name. So does this mean I pay?"

Carly's temper sparked. "Oh, like my name would get us an open reservation for the next month! Get real… I _had_ to use your name to get the reservations."

"Whoa, Princess, you wanna aim that fire at someone else?" They both caught the familiar slip, and a sudden silence fell over them.

It was Carly who broke the silence between them first. "I can't. You're the only friend I've got right now. And anyway, this is business. Mostly."

"Mostly? And what else?"

"You're gonna make me say it, aren't you?"

"Yes." Jax looked at her, and after a long while, let a hint of a smile show. "Yes, I think I am."  
         "Fine." Carly sighed dramatically, before crossing to the bar and pouring two shots of vodka from the bar. "It's partly business, but mostly it's me apologizing. Satisfied?"

"Maybe."

 "Come _on_, Jax. What else can I say?" She asked as she handed him one.

He only looked at her with those incredibly blue eyes  for an answer and Carly knew what he wanted. _Yes, he's going to make me say it._

"Fine, I'm sorry!" She brought the other shot glass to her lips and downed it in one gulp.  "Should I take out an ad or announce it over the PA system?!"

"That won't be necessary, your majesty." He grinned at her in spite of himself. "Only you could make an apology so, well, unapologetic."

***

         A shiver went thru Alexis.

         "What was that?" Sonny asked. "What's wrong?"

         Alexis shook it off and tried to laugh it away. "Nothing".. but it felt like…what was the saying, someone walking across her grave.. A _frisson_ of trepidation…of something indefinable uneasiness…but nothing she could put her finger on…and a moment later, she didn't want to as Sonny's fingers trailed across the back of her neck, sending another but much more pleasurable shiver through her.

         "Mmmm…" she murmured a wordless sound of pleasure. Sonny's other hand came to join the first, warm, firm fingers digging knowledgeably into the tense muscle points at the base of her neck.  Alexis let her eyes drift shut as she sat back from Sonny's desk. and leaned back into them.   
         It had been a long afternoon at work on several new coffee contracts, broken only by a small business dinner. The remnants had been strewn across the coffee table until just recently. Alexis had returned to work, over Sonny's protests; and once he'd seen she was serious about them, he had busied himself cleaning up their leftovers. It was a homey feeling enveloping Alexis, so serene and comfortable that Alexis had slipped off her shoes as she began the last scrutiny of the folders scattered across his desk.

         Finished with the last of his chores, Sonny had come to stand behind her; now his hands slid themselves upwards to knead at the base of her skull, finding their way into the nape of the twisted bun of hair.

         "As much as I love seeing you in lawyer-mode.." Sonny was saying as his fingers worked their magic against her flesh. "You know how I prefer your hair?"

         His fingers were putting action to his words, answering the question on their own, smoothly and slowly removing the pins from her hair, letting the thick waves of dark chestnut spill down  over his hands. 

         "Just like this…" Sonny's voice was like warm butter in her ear, as his hands caressed her skin, sending all the tension that comes after hours of sitting at a desk melt away. His hands slid up to massage her scalp, then moved slowly downwards again to massage her shoulders. He bent down to whisper those last words in her ear, "Loose and wild…" and as his lips touched the delicate curve of her ear, Alexis forgot all about the work spread out on the desk before her 

         Somehow she managed to find her voice…"Sonny…there's no time for this…" She tried to sound firm, but her voice faltered as his lips trailed downwards, along the curve of her ear and found that juncture between ear and her jaw line. 

         "No time for this?" He asked devilishly as the barest tip of his tongue traced a tiny pattern against her skin and then began to move tantalizingly, tortuously downward. "No time for this either?"  She turned her head to scold him, but before she could utter a single word, Sonny's lips settled over hers, drawing her into a thoroughly intoxicating kiss.

         "Business before pleasure…" Alexis said, thankful for the chance to regroup. As always, when he kissed her, which had been more and more often in these last few weeks, time seemed to stand still. His touch and his kisses always left her aching inside, waiting and wanting for more, but even so, something in her was holding her back from committing herself fully. And Sonny never pressed her further than she was willing to go, remembering what he had promised what seemed so very long ago

         Sonny finished his call.  "Pleasure, one of my favorite words, Alexis." His voice dropped down to a throaty growl and shivered its way through Alexis' body. 

         He sat on the edge of the desk and slid one hand back into her hair. "Definitely one of my favorite words, especially when it happens in a sentence that includes your name." He leaned down and kissed her again. He drew her up into his arms, still kissing her, each one deeper than the next. When he had done, they were both left breathing hard.

         She looked into his dark, dark eyes, mesmerized by the passion she sensed lurking deep in them. When Sonny was in this mood, even her name on his lips was a caress. Between his gaze, his voice and his touch, she almost forgot what she'd been about to say.

         "Didn't you have business to take care of, or was that call a wrong number?" Alexis asked, murmuring softly against his lips. "It's not that I'm rushing you off, but we both have work to finish up. We've already stopped for dinner, and the messenger company will have someone here to pick up these contracts in a less than an hour.."

         "Are you sure you're not rushing me off, Alexis?" He pulled back slightly to look her in the eye. His smiled flashed out over her, daring her… "Whatcha scared of, Counselor?"

         "Not you, Mr. Corinthos…" Alexis replied. She proved that by slipping one hand behind his head around him and pulling him back into a torrid kiss of her own. When she had done, his breathing told her she'd gotten to him as much as he'd gotten to her… after all, _two_ could play that game. "But as I said, we both have work to do…and the sooner it's done, the sooner we'll be done.."

         "And the sooner I'm gone, the sooner I can get back?"  
         Alexis smiled. "That would be the general idea."

         "Sounds like a plan, Counselor. After all, I forgot about dessert." His smile deepened "How do you feel about whipped cream?"

         _Whipped cream._ _That man could make the most innocent things sound incredibly erotic, Alexis thought.. the images that came to mind when she thought of Sonny and whipped cream brought a heated flush to her face. _

         Alexis sighed aloud, opening her eyes. Even though Sonny had left her more than an a half-hour before, the taste of his lips still lingered on her lips. She smiled to herself. Well another clause or two and she'd be done; Sonny should be home soon. He'd said he'd call when his business was done. And best of all, there'd she be waiting for him. Somewhere along the way, the last few weeks had drawn them even closer together, Sonny's penthouse becoming almost like a second home to her. It was nothing for her to be as she was now, shoes off, and herself comfortably settled and working at his desk. And the rest of the evening would be spent just the two of them, sitting lazily in front of the fire as they talked and talked and talked. 

         But this work wasn't going to get done by itself, she scolded herself. What she needed was another cup of coffee to get her through the last of her work. Lucky for her, Sonny had left her a carafe of his most excellent coffee in the kitchen.

         She quickly poured herself a cup in the kitchen. Sipping at it as she walked back into the living room, and still caught up somewhat in sweet memories, Alexis was startled by the sound of her cell phone. Just as she came back from the kitchen, the phone rang.

         "Missed me much?"

         "Enough." 

         "Are you pleading the Fifth here?" Sonny demanded.

         "Oh, you are learning, aren't you?"

         "It comes from the company I keep. It's good for me."  
         "You're good for me, Sonny." That admission came out of nowhere.

         "I was thinking the same thing…and I'm on my way to pick up dessert. How about some biscotti and hot chocolate to finish off the evening?"

         "That sounds…. nice."

         "Nice? All I get is nice? Don't think I've forgotten about the cream…Thirty minutes, then."

         Only after Sonny had hung up did Alexis become aware of the commotion out in the hall. Then a harried and irritated Johnny was opening the door and an equally irate Carly was standing in the doorway. "I told you he wasn't here, Carly."

         The sight of Alexis in Sonny's apartment obviously was doing nothing for her temper. "well, somebody's in here." Carly walked in and stood in the middle of the living room, looking around. "What are you doing here, Alexis?" She demanded.

         "What does it look like, Carly?" Alexis said, trying to resist the effort of talking to the other woman as though she were a child. Nonetheless a little voice in her head did it for her, in spite of her best efforts…_ See the chair. See the desk. See the desk with paperwork. Work, Carly. I am doing work. W-o-r-k.  
_         Alexis turned back to the desk, so she could hide the chuckle threatening to bubble up inside her. If Carly only knew how she looked, neck craning out as she looked for some trace of Sonny's presence. Did she think that he would hide because she was at the door? That thought only made it worse; Alexis wanted to laugh out loud, but it just wasn't worth  the scene it would cause. 

         "He's not here, Carly." She managed to get out without laughing in her face.

         Carly didn't answer her, but instead marched herself over to the couch and flung herself down on it; hooking one leg over the couch arm. "Well, I expect he'll be back soon enough. I'll tell him you were here." She said dismissively.

         _ She'll tell Sonny that _I_ was here?  I hardly think so. Alexis thought to herself. She sat herself back down at the desk and picked up the last of the contracts to review. Without looking at Carly she began to leaf through the last pages, crossing her t's and dotting her i's. "Actually, you might want to leave a message of your own. When he gets back, we have these contracts to go over, so I'm not the one going anywhere."_

         "So you think I am?" Carly said, the venom clear in her voice. "You think I'm going to stand back and watch you try and take my place? Didn't you understand me? I know that razor sharp Cassidine mind heard me loud and clear. I'll tell Sonny that you were here, so you can quit babysitting his apartment and babysitting him."

            Enough was enough. Alexis sighed as she laid the papers down on the desk. "I understand that Johnny probably let you in out of respect of you being the ex-Mrs. Corinthos and more importantly, Michael's mother...but don't you get it yet? You are the EX, Carly. Which means you have no right to throw anyone out of here anymore." Alexis looked at her over her glasses. "Not that you ever had the right to throw _me out of anywhere, least of all Sonny's penthouse, did you?"  
            "You always were barging in here any hour of the day or night, harassing Sonny." Carly spat at her. "You couldn't stay away from him, could you. Not from day one. You're one of the main reasons that Sonny left me...because of your meddling…always butting in where you weren't wanted."_

            Alexis snorted a very unlady-like snort, that almost turned into a chuckle. She tamped that down. "Harassing Sonny? Is that what you want to call it? What soap opera are you watching?" Alexis stood up and walked over to stand in front of Carly. "Let me make something perfectly clear… I have never run after any man….."

            "Not for lack of choices." Carly sneered at her. "How many would have had you, to begin with. Not many, I bet."  
            Alexis shook her head at Carly's interruption. And her denseness. "Allow me to clarify that statement – and try to keep up; I have never had to run after any man; I've never felt the need – or I should say neediness – to chase after any man…."  
            "And what about my husband!" Carly shrilled, her voice screeching in a mix of frustration and rage.

            Alexis continued as though Carly hadn't spoken. "While he was married to you, I was Sonny's friend…and that was the extent of our relationship. You can believe that or not, I really don't care. But as I was saying… Nor have I had to lie or scheme to keep a man…I have always had discriminating tastes, like not sleeping with other women's husbands. And not having anonymous sex with multiple partners. That is why we all had to play who's the daddy with Mikey, isn't it?"

            Alexis circled Carly slowly. "I can see where you have a certain – earthiness – that appeals to men. Trust me, I'm not so insecure as to begrudge someone their strong points. The word sexy could be used..." Alexis finished her circuit and came to face Carly once again. "… in a cheap, common sort of way. But Carly, it seems like you can get them easy enough, but you just can't seem to keep them, can you?"  
            Carly's lips parted, but nothing came out. Alexis reached out and using one finger, tapped her under the chin. 

            "Do close your mouth; you might catch a fly." She paused, looking at Carly's stunned expression and allowed herself the tiniest of smiles. "It's all you'll be catching around here."

            Verbally outdone, outsmarted and outwitted, Carly reacted instinctively, one hand flying up towards Alexis' face.  Alexis didn't so much as flinch, but anticipating Carly's actions; only stepped aside smoothly. She grabbed Carly's wrist at the same time and using her own momentum to propel Carly past her and used that same momentum to sling her towards the door. To stop herself from crashing into it, Carly stumbled and fell to her knees hard enough to knock the wind out of her. She glared up at Alexis, gasping for breath and momentarily unable to speak.

            "Carly Benson…speechless… Never did think I'd see the day that would happen. A slight smile graced Alexis' face as though she were enjoying the sight of Carly silent. In fact she was. "I'm sure you fantasized doing exactly  that – slapping me --  any number of times." Alexis said. "But sorry, it's going to stay a fantasy. So get over it."

            Carly got to her feet. She was tugging at her clothes, putting them in place, when the penthouse door opened.

            "What's going on in here?" Sonny asked. His eyes went from one woman to the other.

            "Nothing much, Carly and I were just coming to an understanding." Alexis resettled her glasses, then walked towards the door, pausing to pick up the sheaf of folders on Sonny's desk. "About dessert -- maybe we'll have it later… _maybe_…since it seems like you are otherwise occupied for the moment." She walked past Carly without a glance, but paused in front of Sonny. "I'll leave you to deal with your distractions." With that, she was gone and Sonny was left staring at the closed door.


	33. Behind Closed Doors

**CHAPTER THIRTY THREE  
 Behind Closed Doors  
 **        

         "Sonny…Sonny!!"

         Hearing his name screeching into his thoughts spun Sonny around. Carly was right in his face, eyes blazing.

         "What do you want, Carly?" Sonny snapped at her. "Why are you even here?!"  
  
        "I'm here because this is where I'm supposed to be." Her angry expression vanished. She kept on talking, in spite of the incredulous look on his face. "I came to talk to you about our son and your birthday, but one thing is as important as the other."   
  


         "You want to talk about Michael, we can do that another time. The same for my birthday. You know I don't like celebrating my birthday."

         "But you have a son that does. Or doesn't that count for anything, anymore."

"You know that's not true, Carly. But for tonight, it can wait. And as for anything else…. Look, Carly, it's over." Sonny said tiredly. He was not up to this. All of his focus was on the penthouse across the hall. "Why won't you let it go?"

         "Let what go…us?. why should I?…You didn't. You had men following me, Zander included, keeping an eye on me. Because you still care."

         "I'll always care about you. I don't want anything to happen to you… but don't let that give some sort of false hopes. It's different now. Things are different. And things have changed. One thing that has got to change is the fact that you just can't come by and show up any time you want, Carly."

         "Why not; it seems your _lawyer_ has carte blanche." She snarled at him. "I come by to talk to you, and  find her instead. Cuddled up all comfy and cozy in your penthouse. She just couldn't wait for me to clear out before moving herself in here, could she? Are her legal briefs the only ones she's shown you? Has she changed the sheets we made love on yet? Or is miss-uptight-and-frigid not even up to the job? Or maybe she's waiting for you to hike her retainer before she'll hike her well-tailored skirts?"  
  


          Alexis had never been in his bed…not yet….and yet there was Carly's voice, profaning what he'd spent too many nights wishing for. In contrast, images of the night of he and Carly's hate-sex echoed through his mind… overlaying his dreams with a long-ago nightmare. He wouldn't let her destroy it with her filthy implications.  
  


         "Enough!" The sudden fury in his voice stunned them both. "It's over…_We're_ over! Why can't you get that?!?"

         "We will NEVER be over, Sonny!" She watched stunned, as he turned away from her and began to walk upstairs. 

         "Never! She screamed at his back. "Did you hear me -  never!" 

         **  
  


         Alexis closed the door behind her, leaning against it and leaned against it, closing her eyes. The shouting had begun before she'd gotten across the hall. Memories flooded her mind, in spite of herself. Try as she might, Alexis couldn't help remember how Sonny and Carly's relationship had always been touched with passion…whether they were fighting… or loving.  

         All of her past doubts, the ones she'd thought buried at last, as she and Sonny had begun to grow closer, came flooding back accompanied by a overwhelming surge of pain. Had she been fooling herself all this time? How many times, with her own eyes, had Alexis seen the electricity that existed between them. How many times in the last few months had she told Sonny that he still loved his wife, and no matter how passionately he'd denied it, there was always a tiny piece of her heart that didn't – couldn't – quite bring itself to believe him. 

         That part, so carefully buried until now, resurrected itself with a vengeance. Alexis pushed herself away from the door, feeling the her thoughts creating a knot of  tension tightening up in a knot at the base of her skull, threatening to turn itself into a raging headache. Well, she wasn't about to let Carly win just like that, not like this. Do whatever she would, Carly was not going to take anything from her in the comfort of her own home. Suddenly, Alexis knew what would do it…she wanted a bath.. a hot, steaming, bath, fragrant with her favorite bath oil that Kristina had gotten for her on her last trip to her favorite herbal shop. That was exactly what she wanted, needed. And that's what she would have. A part of her mind recognized that she was rationalizing her thoughts, reaching for reasons and order, in order to bottle away her fears, but it was all right. Anything to get her away from the door, and away from her thoughts, was all right.. 

         Once she was upstairs, Alexis went into her bathroom, taking her time to deliberately and single-mindedly study the array of glass bottles on the rack besides the tub. She reached from one, her favorite scent, and realized with a start, that her fingers were shaking. Badly. "Damn you!" she whispered fiercely, but just who she was damming wasn't clear.  

         The slender vial slipped from her fingers, despite her best efforts to catch it, it shattered on the floor. "Damn!" Alexis repeated. Her voice thick with unspoken and denied emotion. She brought her hand up before her face, as a thin line of blood spilled from her palm. The pain of it stung, but it wasn't the sting that brought the tears to her eyes. They blurred her vision and threatened to trickle down her cheeks, but Alexis ruthlessly forced them back. Her thoughts were determined, and she wasn't going to let any sign of weak emotion turn her from  what she'd already decided to do. She was going to find some other bath oil, she was going to take a bath… a hot steaming bath where she could forget everything – and every ONE -- even if it was only for a little while.

         **

Sonny continued on up the stairs. For a single hopeful moment, he'd thought maybe she'd get it…. Maybe she would finally just go away. But even as he thought the wish, he knew it was untrue. The sound of her footsteps behind him told him that. 

"I see the sheets haven't been changed…"  Carly smirked at the bed as she followed him into the room. "Nothing much has changed at all. Everything was just the way it used to be."

Sonny walked across the bedroom and reached for the decanter of liquor sitting on the bar cart. He reached for it, but something halted him in  mid-motion.. Sonny's hand halted in mid-reach; unknowingly, he shook his head slightly. He turned away from it, only to find Carly right in his face.

"Everything is the way it was…" Looking around she smiled with satisfaction, then she was smiling up at him, a suggestive gleam in her eye. "Everything could _be_ the way it was, if only you'd let it. Don't you remember how smooth those silk sheets used to feel, how cool they were against our hot bodies…"  Unable to resist, she lifted one hand to his throat, letting her fingers trail downward.

He grabbed her wrist and jerked her hand away from him. "Stop it, Carly" he said, his voice an angry growl.  
  


"Whatsmatter, lover? Are you remembering how hot we used to be? How we couldn't keep our hands off of each other? How we made love all night long and lit a inferno each and every time we did it?" Carly leaned in even closer, so that her body was brushing provocatively up against his. "We can do it now…right now, Sonny. we can do it right here…."  
  


She pressed herself up against him. "Tell me you don't want me – right now." Carly smiled as his dark eyes met hers. She remembered getting lost in those dark brown depths and shivered in remembered delight at the memory.  She raised her lips 'til they were a fraction away from his, letting one hand slip up into his hair. 

"I don't." His words were a sudden cold splash of ice water in her face. So was his hard grip on her wrists, pulling her down and away from him. "Not now. Not ever again. You think I don't know your plan? You live for plans." He looked down at her as though seeing her clearly for the first time. And maybe he was. "You don't want me…at least not that's not all of it…you want to be able to throw it in Alexis' face that I was with you. Tell me, Carly, if I bedded you tonight,  right here and right now, how long would you wait before you told her?…would you go skipping across the hall as soon as I did you?  Before the sweat even dried on our bodies?"  
  
**

Her eyes met Johnny's as Alexis stepped out of her apartment. After realizing that she'd broken the last bottle of her favorite oil, a lavender-ylang-ylang blend, Alexis was determined to have some more this night to take her bath. In her new-found sense of determination, nothing else would do. She knew that the little herbal shop Kristina had insisted on dragging her to so often was still open, so Alexis called ahead and ascertained that her order would be waiting for her when she got there.

            Alexis for once, had allowed  her emotions fuel her energy It had kept her focused as she'd tended to the stinging slice in her palm, kept her on her determined course as she cleaned the tiny shards of glass up, and kept her resolute as she headed out the door. She'd made a decision, and she was going to see it through. Pure Alexis.And as long as she kept focused on her objectives, well, there wasn't room to think of anything else, was there?

            And all of her focus and resolve evaporated as soon as she stood in the hallway that separated her apartment from Sonny's and looked into Johnny's eyes. They were carefully – oh so very carefully that it sent a dagger thru her heart --  blank.

The second thing she noticed was the silence. 

She looked back at Johnny and one glance answered the unspoken question hovering own her lips. Carly hadn't left. In spite of everything, that thought echoed in her head . _If they weren't fighting, then what was happening on the other side of that door?_ Well, she wasn't waiting around to find out. Alexis turned away and pressed the elevator button. 

Alexis Davis had left the building.

**

"You want to do me, Sonny?" Carly purred. "That's fine by me. C'mon." She stepped to him again and tried to wrap her thin arms around his neck once more and bring his lips down to hers. "Come on and do me right now." She murmured against his mouth.

Her touch, her lips, were clinging and annoying, repulsive. Even the scent of her filled his senses and suddenly nauseated him. He untangled the death-hold she had on him and pushed her away. Sonny stared at her in disbelief. "What will it take for you to accept the fact that we're done? You signed the divorce papers? What else do I have to do to convince you that we're over?" 

"We'll never be over, Sonny. I'm in your blood, and your in mine!" Carly shot back.   
         

"No, Carly. Not any more."  He looked at her. "You say we lit an inferno. No, it was more like a firestorm. And it incinerated everything and everyone around us. And Jason was it's first victim. And then we did our best to destroy each other. We did." He said, forestalling any reply she might have made. " We did, Carly.  We tore each other to shreds. Every lie I tried to forgive, every scheme you felt you had to hatch, can't you see it…what we had almost incinerated who we were. But not any more. I'm done. You can't push my buttons any more. I'm free, Carly. If I want to live a life..I have to be free of you….. So …just… let… me… go."

Carly was stunned into silence at the flatness -  the _truth_ -  she heard  in his voice. Before this, Sonny had been angry at her before…the fights they'd had, the passion in his eyes as he raged at her only underscored the passion he'd felt for her. But this time… Carly was scared in spite of herself for the first time in a long time…this time, there was nothing in his eyes… no passion, no rage…not even pity or exasperation…. just emptiness…. And it rocked her to the core. She couldn't touch him...there was nothing there to be touched..… instinctively, she reached out towards him, only to flinch back when he jerked away, out of her reach. "You need to go home, Carly. And your home isn't here anymore. Stop coming here anytime of the day or night. Go home to your son." She opened her mouth to say something…_anything…_

He spoke before she could. "Just go." 

And then he turned his back on her. And that was like a final door shutting between them. 

That shock shook her to the core. Carly stared at him for a long, long moment before stumbling her way down the stairs and out of the apartment. Ignoring Johnny – who returned the favor – she slammed the door behind her. She punched the elevator button savagely several times before the door opened. 

            On the ride down, her senses returned…a slow burning rage began to consume her. It was that bitch, Alexis. With all her fancy ten-dollar words, and her fancy this and that, she had Sonny's head so screwed up he didn't know what he was thinking. Well, Alexis had never fooled her, not from the first. She'd wanted Sonny from the begininng when she'd pretended to want to help Jason keep custody of Mikey. She had just laid a different game from what Sonny was used to. She thought it had worked, and now she thought she had him. Oh, but she was very very wrong…and Carly would make sure that Alexis knew it.


	34. Second Thoughts

**CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR  
Second Thoughts**

Thankfully, Carly had finally left. The sound of her footsteps going away from him and down the stairs was a welcome noise. Sonny exhaled slowly, trying to control the rage that had gripped his entire body while dealing with Carly. When would she learn that he'd finally had enough of her lies and enough of her betrayals. He just couldn't take it any more. And her unbelievable arrogant assumption that all she had to do was flaunt her body in front of him for him to just take her back, one more time. Did she really think that was all she had to do and she could bring him to his knees… and forget all about Alexis at the same time? 

He'd much rather think about Alexis, even though he knew that there was trouble waiting for him there…tonight had created another roadblock. What was Alexis thinking now? Sonny thought miserably. Was she even thinking of him? Or had she put him from her mind? This was not the evening that he thought he'd be having. If only Carly hadn't decided to show up. If only….****

**

Alexis returned to the apartment, this time not even looking at Johnny as she let herself back into her apartment. She headed straight upstairs and began running her bath. While the tub was filling, she returned to her bedroom and began laying out her bedclothes. Alexis was determined to pamper herself…so where were her favorite silk pajamas? Where was her comfiest robe? She was in the mood for something soft and silky and her new robe, brought back from the islands, was exactly what she needed. That was what she wanted to wear. She had to think for a moment before she remembered; she'd never unpacked after her trip to the island. She pulled out her travel bag from her closet, and began rummaging through it.It had nothing at all to do with Sonny, she told herself. It had been a present from Marisol on the island. And she had every right to wear it if she chose. 

Something unfamiliar fell out of the suitcase, catching her eye. Alexis reached down and even as she picked it up, she recognized it as Sonny's shirt. In response. her legs weakened unexpectedly and she sank down to sit on the bed. She remembered that on the plane, she'd blindly stuffed her clothes into her bag when they had both changed on the way back to Port Charles. Somehow, his shirt must have gotten mixed up with hers. She couldn't help herself, Alexis held the shirt close to her, bringing it to her face. Alexis closed her eyes. Yes, she could still smell a trace of him in the fabric. The scent of sand and sea and Sonny; it was a powerful combination. But she put it away from her. Even though she was choosing for the moment, not to deal with the present, better not to dwell on the past, either. Despite her best intentions, one hand reached out to caress Sonny's shirt briefly, before she turned away and walked into the bathroom. _If only Carly hadn't hadn't pushed her way into the penthouse. If only…  
_  
**

Sonny walked to the edge of the bed and just let himself fall backwards across it. One hand came up to cover his eyes wearily. He exhaled. Alexis leaving, Carly coming. His thoughts were all in a jumble and he couldn't get them back under control. Sonny hated that; he hated anything that made him feel out of control. Frustrated, he flung his hand away from his eyes. And felt a sudden sharp pain in his hand an instant later.

"Damn!" he swore aloud as his hand came in contact with something hard. It hurt. A lot. "What the devil!!…" he shouted angrily, swinging his body back up to a sitting position while nursing his injured hand. 

Sonny looked down at the side of the bed and saw the suitcase he brought back from his island trip with Alexis. That might as well have happened a lifetime ago. He'd seen the look in Alexis' eyes just before she'd walked out the door tonight. More than likely, the trip wasn't even in her mind; it might have never have happened. Carly, as only Carly could, has managed to destroy another thing, without even trying. 

With that thought, his temper flared into rage. Sonny snatched the handle of the suitcase and hurled it across the room. It crashed into the wall, exploded open, and spilled its contents to the floor. A soft spill of crimson floated to the floor to land in the middle of the jumble of his own clothing. 

Just as quickly as it had come, his anger fell away. Sonny crossed the room to pick up the filmy fabric. Alexis' shawl. It must have still been on the plane, and gotten packed into his suitcase by his people instead of hers somehow. He held the fabric between his fingers, feeling the fragility of it, and remembering how fragile all this was for them. And then he thought of Alexis and her last words to him before she walked out the door. All his patience had been destroyed in a single stroke - thanks to his ex-wife. And despite the coolness of her actions, he knew that Alexis' emotions were as fragile as the fabric in his hands.

He glanced at the clock. Close to midnight; it was later than he thought. Maybe in the morning, he'd bring her coffee and pastries and he'd just tell her how it was. Sonny sat back down on the edge of the bed again. But then he remembered who he was dealing with. Right now, Alexis was in her apartment. probably busy convincing herself that she was mistaken about him, about them. Give her 'til daybreak and the lawyer in her would have built a case against him ..against them, that no amount of talk would convince her that she was wrong. She was adorably stubborn that way. Sonny smiled, a little bit brighter this time. Time to get to Alexis before she got to herself. Before she hurt herself and him. And it had to be Sonny to the rescue.

He headed for the stairs.

**

Thankfully, except for Johnny, the hallway was empty; Sonny had half-expected to see Carly still there, waiting to pounce on him. His eyes went to door across the hall. Then he looked at Johnny, who, as usual, was showing no emotion on his face. Well almost nothing this time. Their was a glint in the bodyguard's eyes that Sonny couldn't quite read. Was it disapproval at Carly's appearance? Or concern and sympathy for Alexis? Sonny knew that Johnny had a high regard for her. Had ever since Alexis had become his attorney. If it came down to a choice between his ex-wife and his present attorney, Alexis would win hands down.  
  
"That all went well." Sonny said, after a long moment.

"About what I expected." Johnny replied.  


Sonny turned his gaze from the elevator doors to the apartment door across the hall and back again. But he hadn't moved. Now that he was standing there, Sonny realized that he was reluctant to face Alexis. He was _afraid_. He had no idea what he was going to say to her; he wasn't a man used to giving explanations to anybody about anything. Harder still was the thought that what if she wouldn't accept any explanation he tried to give. He didn't want to argue with her, but what if that happened? That had him scared, admit it, he thought to himself. Alexis could cut someone to shreds with that sharp tongue of hers when she chose. He'd been on the receiving end of it a few times, and he knew she'd been easy on him, compared to what he'd seen when she used her sharp wit against others. He did not want to deal with that this time. If she was willing to speak with him at all, she was going to ask some hard questions, and he didn't know if he could answer them. He was afraid. That was the bottom line. That admission of self-realization didn't make it any easier to cross that little expanse of hall between his door and hers.   


"Time for round two?" Johnny asked; his tone just a shade too innocent.   


__

Smart-Ass. Sonny thought. "Maybe I should have had you drive Carly home." 

"Was there a hazard pay bonus involved?"   


Sonny turned around to look Johnny in the eye. The bodyguard's expression never changed. Part of his charm.  


"That's why I keep you around, Johnny. Purely for the entertainment value."

"Nice to know I'm appreciated, Boss."  


Okay, it was obvious that he wasn't going to win this one. Sonny stared at the door across the hall again.   


"It isn't going to open itself, you know." Johnny commented.  


"Especially if it's locked."  


"It isn't." When Sonny looked at him again, Johnny allowed himself a tiny smile. "I guess Ms. Davis had too many other things on her mind. She only closed it behind her; she didn't lock it."  


"You're sure about that?"  


"Besides the entertainment value, listening closely is one of my skills."  


"I knew there was another reason why I've kept you around so long., Johnny-boy."  


"Nice to know I'm appreciated for that too." Johnny paused. "Now that you're no longer _distracted_…" Johnny's innocent - wasn't it? - but co-incidental use of the same words Alexis had used regarding Carly was an unpleasant jolt in Sonny's stomach. His stomach tangled itself up into nervous knots as Johnny continued on, unaware of the effect his words had had on his boss… "Shouldn't you not keep the _lady_"… and he stressed the word ".. waiting any longer?"  


Sonny drew a deep breath and let it out slowly. "You're absolutely right, Johnny."   
  
"So, what you waiting for?"  



	35. Best Intentions

****

CHAPTER THIRTY FIVE  
Best Intentions

Eyes closed, head back against a bath pillow nestled under her neck, Alexis let her body float in the fragrant water, determined not think of anything at all. And every so often, she actually managed it, the scents of the bath oil and the silkiness of the warm water and bubbles soothing her senses and leaving her thoughts mercifully blank. But too often, thoughts of Sonny kept intruding into the nothingness of her mind. There was the sound of his voice, soft and sultry, the memory of his eyes meeting hers danced behind her own shuttered lids…at the edge of her consciousness there was the scent of him….and there was the sheer presence of the man…without meaning to, she was forcibly reminded how Sonny could fill a room simply with the very power of his presence. And just do it by _being._

The remembered sensation was so strong, Alexis opened her eyes. And wasn't surprised, not really, to see Sonny standing in the doorway.

"Hi." 

"Hi." 

"That key was for emergency purposes." She reminded him.

"Didn't need it. The door was unlocked. But I thought this might be count as an a emergency anyway." Sonny crossed the room to kneel beside her. He unconsciously licked his lips, entranced by the sight of Alexis, her hair loosely pinned up, tendrils of it hanging damply at her temples, while the mounds of fragrant bubbles that filled the tub, leaving only her smooth shoulders showing and how they gleamed softly in the candlelight. He put out a hand tentatively, at first brushing back some of those tendrils away from her face, then unconsciously letting it slip down to softly caress one finely shaped cheek. Neither of them spoke as he touched his hand to her face and when she didn't pull away; Sonny braved more, unable to help himself as he leanied forward and captured her lips in a kiss that was clearly a apology.  


For a sweet moment, their only contact was their lips. Then Sonny was thrilled as one hand came up to slide into the thick waves of his hair, her fingers twining themselves into it, unconsciously pulling him closer. Unconsciously, Sonny drew her even closer, Alexis half-rising out of the water to feel his arms wrap themselves around her, both of them oblivious to the water splashing over the edge of the tub or the wetness spreading across Sonny's shirt..

Sonny's lips traveled slowly from her lips to the sensitive juncture behind her ear. When his mouth would have moved lower, savoring the fresh clean taste of her skin, he felt Alexis stiffen ever so softly, so he hesitated, then ended the kiss with a last lingering caress of his lips against hers. Alexis drew back slightly to look deeply into his eyes. 

"Was that because of Carly?" Alexis sighed. "Never mind; don't answer that, if you don't want to."

"Don't apologize, Alexis."

"I wasn't planning to." She answered with more than a touch of sharpness. But her eyes softened ever so slightly; Sonny felt an inward sense of relief even as he smiled inwardly at the familiar tone. He watched as Alexis sank back down into the bubbles, gazing up at him, her dark eyes once more unreadable. There was a long pause between them. 

Alexis was the one to break it. Her lips parted to speak, then hesitated, and then spoke what was in her heart. Alexis had always demanded the truth from him, facing him, she could give him no less. "I'm supposed to be angry at you. It's classic. The ex-wife returns and things get ugly. But I'm not. I just want to make it clear. I don't want to get caught up in the little games you and Carly used to play. I don't want her to - and I won't let her be - the catalyst for what does or doesn't happen between us… I don't want her to matter any more…"

"She won't be the reason for anything." Sonny said, wanting, needing to reassure her. " And she isn't now. Carly doesn't matter anymore."

"She's the reason why you're here right now." Alexis said, eyes looking steadily into his. "She's the reason why I'm here right now, in my own apartment. We had some work to finish, contracts to review. We were going to have dessert, remember? We had plans to spend time together tonight. Carly changed all that. And all she had to do was show up at your door."

"I can't stop her from coming by the penthouse. I can't control what she does. I can only control what I do and the choices I make." A little smile crossed Sonny's lips. That was a lesson Alexis had tried to teach him more than once. How many times had she come to his rescue, making things clear for him when his thoughts sank down into guilt and gloom. More than once , she had pulled him back into the light, reminding him that everything bad that happened wasn't his fault, no matter what his heart and soul said. Other people made choices that he was powerless to change.And now, for once, it was his turn to do the same for her. "And you thought I never listened to you."

"I'm glad to see that some things I say to you actually sink in." Alexis smiled in spite of herself.   


"I know it's hard, but I want you to trust me, Alexis. I want you to be able to trust in me..my words.... just like I trust in you."

"I want to trust in you too, Sonny, of course I do, but we both know that we can't trust Ca…" Before she could finish saying Carly's name, Sonny had touched his fingers to her lips again.

"I told you , Carly has finally gotten the message. We're over and she's accepted that. I know as well as you do what Carly is capable of….but just trust me..." Sonny looked deeply into her eyes, but then all of a sudden, his serious expression was interrupted by a very noisy, very loud sneeze. He tried to speak again but he sneezed again, louder than the first time. Then a third sneeze erupted and Alexis did her best to hold back a giggle. She failed miserably. Sonny looked down at his damp shirt, still wet from where he had held Alexis' slick and soapy - and arousing - slenderness against his own body. "You're laughing at me?" he asked with a mock frown.

"Seeing the almighty Sonny Corinthos brought low by a sneeze or two or three…" Alexis laughed again as another sneeze interrupted again. "…or four… and the added bonus of watching Mr.-I'm-in-control being as human as the rest of we mere mortals…. losing control over something we mere mortals are accustomed to…yes, I'm laughing at you."

"I guess I'd better change out of these wet clothes." Sonny said. He leaned over and kissed her again. "And what I want you to do, is to sit here, relax and get a good soak in, and promise me that you won't get to thinking too much." He scooped up a handful of bubbles and used one finger to touch a dollop of to the tip of her nose. "You do too much of that as it is." 

You think you know me so well, do you?" There was a challenge in her voice that wasn't there before. Before he could even think abut that, or could answer - or move away - Alexis indulged herself in a sudden whim. Wrapping one arm around his neck, she brought Sonny's lips back to hers. She brought her other arm up embracing Sonny even more closely, even as she took charge of the kiss. She let her lips press softly against his, savoring the feel and the texture of his mouth. Slowly, she deepened the kiss, gently, insistently demanding access to his mouth. Sonny groaned slightly at the taste of her, emboldening her to press forward. Alexis pressed forward and the kiss between them intensified. And then unexpectedly, she half-pulled him into the tub; soaking him and his shirt again. She released him and her mouth quirked itself into a smile. "You didn't expect _that_, did you?" she said, as he sputtered a little in shock. "Lesson: Alexis Natasha Davidovitch 101. Never think that I'm _too_ predictable, Sonny."

"Spontaneity - you're showing me spontaneity, aren't you? Okay, point taken. I won't make that mistake again, Alexis." Sonny said. A quirky grin of his own flashed out at her. "But fair warning, I owe you for that."

And just like that, as their eyes met and they reconnected without words, everything was - _almost_ - all right.. "I repeat, Counselor, take a long soak - and no thinking. Unless it's another surprise. You can surprise me all you like."  


"I promise." Alexis said. He grinned at her one more time before he left. And she tried to do exactly that after he had left. But all too soon, the water cooled, the bubbles died away and Alexis left the dubious comfort of the remains of her bath.

She toweled herself off leisurely, her thoughts slowing her movements. She admitted to herself that a part of her would have willingly given herself to Sonny right then and there…and a sweet ache went through her at the thought, but at the same time, Alexis was forced to acknowledge that somewhere down the line, maybe the next morning, maybe the next week or even the next month - or more, but she would have regretted it, because of Carly. _Damn her for even showing up tonight! _Who knows what would have happened if she hadn't?   
  
And how long would she continue to be an obstacle in their path?

Alexis forced her mind to more pleasant possibilities. A part of her had wanted Sonny to have taken her right then and there in her bath when he'd first taken her into his arms…and for a moment, the naughty vision of erotic possibilities flooded her mind...and she wondered just why he hadn't. He really was waiting for her to take that final step towards intimacy; Alexis marveled at that. Every time she turned around, she learned something new about this man, this thief of hearts that had stolen hers so easily. That realization sent a wave of tenderness across her heart for him. Sonny actually cared enough to wait as long as she needed to. "The problem is," she said aloud, "…is that I don't know how long it might be before I was ready to take that step. I'm afraid…I'm afraid, not of wanting him, but of needing him." And was that being fair to Sonny?

She glanced at the phone by her bed. Should she call him? If she did, what was she supposed to say? "I need you, Sonny" she said aloud in a half-whisper, testing the words upon her lips. Alexis felt slightly silly saying the words out loud and laughed to herself softly. "I want you, Sonny." That was more to the truth. But she just wasn't ready to say them to Sonny. Not yet. Not while the merest trace of Carly remained between them.

Alexis slipped on her robe and headed downstairs. The scent and softly crackling sounds of firewood came to her as she neared the bottom and she halted just as she came to the bottom step.   
  
She had thought he'd gone home. But Sonny was here; kneeling before the fireplace. Somehow, he'd managed to go across the hall, change clothes and get back without her realizing it. At the sound of her footsteps, he turned around, and coming to his feet, smiled at her. He was dressed in a pair of lounge pants, soft charcoal in color, and a matching deep dark crimson robe, softly warm against his skin. 

He noted her surprised expression with a satisfied expression of his own. "And you thought you were the only one that could be spontaneous." Sonny walked over to the stairs and offered Alexis his arm. As Alexis slipped her arm into his, he winked at her. "I told you, I owed you one."

"This is hardly one." Alexis said as Sonny escorted her to a place in front of the fire. He'd pulled the cushions from the couch to the floor, and nearby sat a tray with a carafe of coffee and a tray of biscuits. "More like two or three…" she paused as she saw the tray and its contents. "Biscotti!" she exclaimed. Alexis smiled dreamily, remembering the last time they'd shared biscotti. 

Sonny sat, drawing Alexis down with him. She watched as Sonny poured them both coffee. He passed her a cup, their fingers touching as she took the cup from his hands. Alexis sipped at it and smiled delightedly. "This is something new."   


"Very good. It's a new blend of beans we just got in on the last shipment. It's a Brazilian specialty blend."

"It's delicious."

"Try it with the biscotti." Sonny suggested. He reached for one of the crisp Italian cookies and dipped it lightly into her cup before lifting it to her mouth. Alexis closed her eyes and nibbled at the tip of the biscotti, savoring the rich taste. "Mmmmmmmm." Before she could say anything more, Sonny replaced the biscotti with his lips. And his kiss was as sweet as the cookie and as intoxicating and rich-tasting as the coffee. 

Sonny fed Alexis the rest of the biscotti, and then somehow, they drifted into a comfortable silence while they finished their coffee. 

Alexis glanced at Sonny from under lowered lids. He was staring into the fire just as she had been. This was the kind of evening she had thought was going to happen. Until Carly had exploded into their world once again. She would always be there in one form or another, Alexis realized. The question was, was she strong enough to accept that fact? One way would be to stop waiting for the perfect moment. That only came in soap operas and late night romantic movies, she knew. She could be with him tonight… that would show Carly once and for all; for a moment she savored the fantasy of being able to throw the fact that she had slept with Sonny in her face. What a pleasure it would be to see her face. But would she feel the same way in the morning? What would she have proved? Alexis was confused all over again.

Then Sonny was suddenly taking the cup from Alexis' hand. He leaned back against the couch and pulled Alexis until she was leaning back against him. She could feel him behind her as he nuzzled the tender spot behind her ear. 

  
"Did you enjoy the rest of your bath?" He asked. Sonny took one hand and began playing in Alexis' hair, baring her neck to his gaze. He wanted nothing more than to let his lips trail down the long and lovely length of Alexis' throat, but there were other things on his mind that took precedence. But he lingered, letting his fingers play across her skin, enjoying the fresh-washed scent and soft texture of her skin..

"I enjoyed all of it." Alexis answered. "The bath, the biscotti - and you. Not necessarily in that order." She turned in his arms to look up at him. "Is everything all right?"

Sonny smiled down at her. "That's what I was about to ask you." He looked at her thoughtfully.

"I heard what you said upstairs." Sonny began. "I just want to make sure you understand that. I told you this before. I'm here, but I'm waiting until you're ready. And I don't ever want you to think otherwise."

"I don't doubt you Sonny. But there's so much going on in our lives. Things neither of us have ever dealt with before. You and your sister, me with mine. And like it or not, there's Carly. No, Sonny…" she said as it seemed that he wanted to stop her from speaking. "She's there. Just like she was tonight. I know what you said, but emotions like that don't die away overnight. I just think that the both of us are on emotionally shaky ground. We don't know where we stand. Not really."   


"And this is why you want to wait?" Sonny asked.

"I want to wait until the time is right for the both of us. When there will be no question as to why we do… what we do."

"Let me tell you what happened tonight. Carly tried to get to me. She tried to push my buttons. But she couldn't. There was nothing there for her tonight. And I think this time, even she got it; how couldn't get to me anymore." He paused. "I think I just might be growing up." 

There was a second small silence between them, one where Sonny wondered if his words had had any effect and surprising himself just how much he cared. Alexis was the one to break the silence again "The world will never be the same." Alexis said dryly.

"The world changed the day you walked into mine's." Sonny said. He hesitated for a moment. " I understand what you mean about not wanting Carly to be the reason for what will happen between us. Remember what I told you…we'll go as fast or as slow as you need to."

His expression intensified. "I told you from the beginning. We will do nothing until you're ready. I will wait for you...until the end of time if I have to. But I won't ever pressure you into anything you don't want, Alexis. Or anything you're not ready for.

"But you know me well enough that I always get what I want in the end, because I am, after all, a patient man." Sonny couldn't help being Sonny, and despite the seriousness of the moment, he smiled. His dimples flashed as she smiled back.   
"I know how hard it is for you to let your guard down. I'm the same way and you know it. But we've shared so much already...why is so hard to share...this?" he reached out and took her hand.

That simple touch, that and his words, struck a chord in Alexis' heart. She could answer him with nothing less than the truth. "I'm… afraid." Her voice was soft and the silence that followed her words was filled with the soft crackly from the fireplace. 

"And you think I'm not?" His reply brought her eyes up to his face. "You're the only person I trust in this world. And somewhere along the line, you've become the world to me. Maybe I had to almost lose you to Jax before I realized it."

Alexis' heart, filled with its own fears, relented as she saw the unease in his eyes. "There was never anything there, Sonny. Jax and I are just friends. We've always been that - very close friends. But never nothing more than that."

"But I didn't know that _here."_ Sonny said as he took her hand and pressed it to his heart. "Everything has changed. Including me. My life has changed ..and that was from the moment that I let you into my life..not as my employee, not as my lawyer..but as my friend." Alexis felt the beat of his heart, slow and strong and rhythmic under her hand. As Sonny spoke, she laid her head down on his chest, letting the beat of his heart fill her. His arms tightened around her, rocking her lightly, obviously lost in his own thoughts.

He wanted her, Alexis knew that he did. Remembering the obvious look of desire that had been in his eyes when he'd come to her upstairs, she couldn't help but be reminded of it. The look he'd turned on her had melted right thru her and she shivered inside feeling the memory ripple through her. But once more, she had been the one to stop things. How foolish was she being? Maybe she shouldn't wait anymore. Maybe she could shut off the little nagging voices that wouldn't allow her to commit herself to him fully. Maybe she was being foolish waiting for just the right time, like some love struck teenaged full of romantic notions gleaned from books and television. After a long moment, Alexis shifted. She raised herself, lifting her lips to his and Sonny met her halfway. But when she would have slid her robe from her shoulders, Sonny stopped her.

"No, Alexis."

"No?" Alexis couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"No." Sonny repeated. "I know you're acting with the best of intentions, but you're thinking it's all about what I want. Don't doubt yourself; a part of you is still not ready. Don't you think I know that? Don't you think I can tell?"

"But don't you want…?"

"More than you know, Alexis." Truer words he never had never spoken. His body ached with the knowledge that her body was so close to his, fresh and sweet and fragrant and knowng that she was willing. But suddenly, it wasn't enough; Sonny put his own selfish instincts aside. "When it happens, when we make love, there will be no question as to the reason why." He tightened his arms around her and Alexis, still a little bit confused but more than happier for a reason she couldn't quite put words to, gratefully snuggled back down into his embrace. Her head fit perfectly in the hollow of his collarbone. 

"I'm sorry this evening didn't turn out the way you wanted…" Alexis said quietly..  


"The way I wanted? You, me, a roaring fire and no interruptions for the rest of the night." Sonny dropped a light kiss on her forehead. "Who says it didn't?"

_Author's Note: I know we're all disappointed that Sonny and Alexis haven't consummated their relationship yet. Me as much as anyone else, trust me…My very sincere apologies. But there's something in me - or more truthfully, something in them - the characters - that needs to keep this part of the story as close to the " real" storyline as possible in this timeline. So we know all know what brings them together… And it's coming. Soon. Patience!_


	36. Mixed Signals

****

mixed signals

"So you're absolutely sure I can't convince you to join me for dinner?"

Alexis smiled. It seemed she'd been smiling a lot lately. Things were calm for the moment and that was always a good thing. And last night had been better than perfect. She and Sonny were more intimate than ever, even if they hadn't crossed the line to physical intimacy. Something else was growing between them. Something she hadn't dared hoped for, let alone dared put a name to. So the smile on her face stayed, giving her an almost otherworldly glow, or so it seemed to the man sitting opposite her. He took her smile for something entirely other than what it was.

"You're smiling, but no answer. Does that mean I can hope for a yes?"

Alexis shook her head. "I'm sorry Mason, I agreed to meet you at the Grille for drinks, you agreed this was a business meeting. Sorry, but I have other plans for dinner."

"You wound me, Alexis." Mason said, dramatically bringing on hand to rest on his chest. "What must I do to claim you, O fair maiden?" 

"You can quit with the Shakespeare, for one thing." Alexis laughed in spite of herself.

"I would do anything to have that smile for myself." Mason declared. "Perhaps one more round of martinis would help." He signaled to a nearby waiter to bring another round.

"And this will be the last." Alexis said.Mason had a way of making her laugh, in spite of herself. It was flattering to be so obviously wanted by such an attractive man. A few months ago, it would have been more than flattering. But now... 

She focused back in on wha Mason was saying. "You really have been one hard to reach little lady." he said to her.

"That's because she gets the job done." A certain voice sounded from just behind her chair, one she knew all too well, full-bodied, richly-dark and strong like espresso."Lawyers of Ms. Davis' caliber are defintely in high demand."

Even before he spoke, Alexis had felt his presence as he'd come to stand somewhere behind her. As always, she could feel his presence as it filled the space wherever he went.

"No doubt." Mason said to the newcomer. He spared him a glance, but his eyes quickly returned to Alexis' face. "Which is why I find myself feeling very privileged to find myself as one of her favored but few clients." He looked up again, his eyes suddenly discerning."Are you one of the favored few, Mr. Corinthos?"

"Wouldn't that come under the heading of lawyer-client confidentiality?" Sonny answered him easily, giving nothing away.

Alexis took advantage of the momentary pause to make hurried introductions.

"An honor to meet you, Mr. Corinthos. In fact, we may have a few business concerns in common. I have more than a few interests in the coffee field. Meanwhile, forgive me, I only asked the question in case I was intruding upon your time. I know Ms. Davis - Alexis' - time is valuable and her schedule very full. My apologies if I've offended you."

"No offense taken. Luckily, my business is done for tonight; I was just stopping by the Grille on a whim for a dessert pick up from the take out counter."

__

Liar. Alexis smiled inside. Just picking up dessert. Sonny had known very well she'd had a business appointment this evening. And no doubt he'd remembered that she told him that the meeting should be over by 8:30. Alexis glanced down at her watch... 8:37. Coincidence that Mr. Corinthos just happened by at just particular time? She tought not.

"I didn't know you were a man that indulged in whims." Mason said. The air shifted between the three of them just now, and all three of them were aware of it. There was a subtle challenge in the air between the two men.

"Not in business." Sonny parried. "I saw Ms. Davis, and I'd thought I'd just come over to say hello." Sonny moved so that he was facing Alexis, his back deliberately to Mason, and smiled down at her. "Good evening, Ms. Davis."

"Good evening, Mr. Corinthos." Alexis returned his smile. "Was there anything in particular that you were ordering from the Grille's menu this evening?"

"Actually I was thinking of something from the dessert bar." Unseen to any eyes but hers, his twinkled ever so slightly. "Is there anything you'd reccomend?"

Alexis appeared to think for a moment. "From what I hear, the new york cheescake has been getting very good reviews lately..."

"Hmmm...with fresh strawberries...."

"Excellent..might I also suggest a light drizzling of chocolate..." 

Sonny nodded thoughtfully. "That might just be exactly what I was looking for. You may bill me, if you like for your reccomendation."

Alexis waved a hand airily. "Oh, I wouldn't dream of it, Mr. Corinthos... it was my pleasure."

"I'm sure." Ever the gentleman in public, Sonny smiled again. "If you'll excuse me, I'll see about putting that order in for that cheescake. I hope you two have a pleasant evening."

"A moment of your time, Mr. Corinthos?" Mason's words halted Sonny as he was turning away. With an apologtic glance at Alexis, Mason rose from his seat and stepped closer. "Just a question of business."

"I'm not a man to talk business on a whim, Mr. Lane."

Alexis smiled inwardly as Sonny turned his attention back to Mason. In public, she and Sonny were as decorous as they ever had been. To those who did know, she was his attorney of record with the PCPD and his business advisor. To few others, Ned and Jax in aprticular, they were aware of the friendhsip that had grown from their association. And so in public, they were polite, friendly even, sometimes. In private...well in private, the unspoken bonds that had drawn them together as friends had strengthened and firmed. They'd become even closer since the night Carly had tried to insinuate her way back into Sonny's life. The working dinners had become nights they spent talking the hours away about every and anything until close to the dawns. Leisurely weekend brunches on lazy Sunday afternoons; they become the norm. 

They were so close to moving towards a final intimacy. She didn't know whether she was running from it or towards it. But the dance was sweet, unhurried. Inevitable. And the waiting for the two of them was sweeter than words or any open action could ever be. 

****

"I really appreciate you taking the time to talk to me, Courtney."

"You're Michael's mother. Sonny's his adoptive father and AJ is his biological father. I'm Michael's aunt anyway you look at it. And I do want what is best for him."

Carly shivered in her coat as she stood outside the Grille with Courtney. "You told me on the phone that you had dinner reservatiions with AJ. I promise this won't take more than a few minutes." And it more than worked into her plans. 

"I listened to you when you said AJ deserved to be some part of Michael's life. But Sonny won't hear of it. You have no idea how possesive he can be."

Courtney smiled despite herself. "I think I have some idea of that."  
  
Yes, Sonny had come on strong when he'd first learned about Courtney being his sister. "Yeah, I guess you do. Here's the deal though..he's not going to listen to me..not now that we're apart. AJ - he'll never listen to him; not in a million years. But you - Sonny will listen to you."

"And just what is it that you want me to say to him?" 

"The truth. That Michael needs ALL of his family. You want the chance to be his aunt...start with that and let everything else come naturally...it will."

"I don't know.." Courtney said uncertainly. "I don't want to get dragged into this mess between you and Sonny - and AJ."

"You're AJ's wife. You're Sonny's sister. You're Michael's aunt either way you look at it. You _are_ in it. Just try. For Michael's sake. That's all I'm asking."

Courtney glanced at her watch, then back at Carly. AJ was probably already inside, and if he came out looking for it, there'd be hell to pay. "I - I just don't know."

Before she could refuse, Carly tried another tack, one sure to work on the younger woman's conscience. "Promise me you'll think about it. That's all. Just promise me that."

She gestured at the limo at the curb. "That's Max at the wheel. One of Sonny's drivers. That means Sonny's here tonight. You could talk to him now. After all, Michael doesn't need to wait any longer than necessary to have the family he deserves, does he?"


	37. Adrift

****

Adrift

His conversation with Sonny Corinthos finished, Mason turned to Alexis as Sonny walked away. "A penny, or should I say; ten percent of your hourly rate for your thoughts."

"What?" Alexis was startled by her very carnal thoughts. Visions of strawberries and chocolates had thouroughly captured her attention. 

"Where were you just now, Alexis?" Mason asked, his eyes intent as they looked into hers. "If I weren't already impressed with you, Alexis, I'd be now."

"Oh?" Alexis' eyebrow arched questioningly. 

"From what I understand of Mr. Corinthos' business holdings and interests, the fact that he hold you in such obvious high esteem is something I find very interesting. Are you and he mere business associates or something more?" Again Alexis found herself the object of his very intense scrutiny and not for the first time, wondered just wha it was Mason saw, and why he was so intent on pursuing her. She was female enough to feel flattered, but Cassidine enough to wonder at exactly why.

Mason obviously felt her sudden discomfort, and he changed the subject smoothly. "I only ask because I thought perhaps I might have a rival for your attentions?" He paused as though expecting her to either confirm or deny his question, but Alexis did neither, so he continued with a shrug.

"And besides, that encounter was ..very strange. But he did do us a service...how do you feel about new york cheesecake? ...as in a trip to New York City. Junior's makes the best and we could be there in..oh .. say a little more than an hour."

"In what," Alexis couldn't help herself "A speeding limo? Might be handy indeed, to have a lawyer with you - if you're planning to break the law."

"If that's what it takes to get you to take a trip with me, I'd chance it... but no, Alexis, I meant by air. My private jet." He reached out and surprised her by taking her hand. "We can have cheesecake with strawberries and chocolate -- or anything else you might desire -- before midnight."

He smiled at her in what he thought was an enticing manner. "Come on Alexis. Live dangerously."

Those words.. two simple words that had changed her world, shifted the direction of her life._ If you only knew how much I'm already living those words._ Alexis thought to herself. _As for cheesecake - and everything else, it's already covered. _She gently disengaged her hand from his. "One more round of martinis and our meeting is ended. Or else, I might start billing you for overtime." She handed him her refusal with a gentle smile.

"For a smile like that, you can charge me time and half..no double...for one more, I'll even triple your hourly rate."

"Mason..." Alexis shook her head and couldn't help but laugh as the waiter delivered their drinks.

"She says my name!" Mason exclaimed. He turned to the waiter. "Did you hear that?"

"Yes I did, sir. She said your name."

Mason pulled out a bill from his wallet and without glancing at it, handed it to the waiter. The man smiled automatically, then did a double-take, eyes widening as he realized that Mason had handed him a hundred dollar bill. "She said my name.. there's hope!"  
  
"Mason!"

Mason merely grinned and handed the waiter a second bill.

"Thank you!" The waiter grinned. "And good luck, sir!"  
  
"Obviously, I'm not charging you enough!" Alexis said dryly.  
  
"We could renegotiate that, over one more round..on my jet..." Even as she shook her head again, Mason showed no signs of letting up. "What can I do to change your mind? I enjoy a streak of stubborness, but all I want to do is sweep you off of your feet and take you away from all of this."

"I'm perfectly content with 'all of this' As you put it." Alexis said. "And I have no desire to leave it."

"And why is that?" Mason was relentless.

"And why do you want to know?" Alexis countered.

Mason sat back in his seat with a smile. "Because you interest me, Ms. Davis. I'll be blunt with you Women fascinate me; women in all of their infinite variety.Like a garden with a myraid of blossoms and blooms in all their variations, I strive to savor them all"

"I'm sure you don't lack for female companionship, Mr. Lane -- Mason." she amended herself before he could correct her.

"Thank you for the compliment." Mason smiled. He neither confirmed nor denied her statement, but neither did he show any arrogance over the fact. "And well the truth is, I find you in particular, a very fascinating. woman. Even that small interruption earlier" - referring to Sonny''s momentary appearance at their table - "..only intrigues me all the more. And so I want to know more. I want to know all about you, Alexis. I know your resume, I know your reputation. But I also know that there's more to you than what I can find on paper or gather by hearsay." He leaned forward, to stare into her eyes. "I want to get to know - _you - _Alexis."

The look in his eyes was flattering, but there was something else there too. A flash of an avaricious, somewhat predatory glint that sent a shiver down her spine. She was not about to become another trophy for his mental wall of conquests... and that would be true even if Sonny were not part of the equation. Alexis couldn't put her finger on exactly what bothered her. He was the type of man who made a woman feel her femininty, but at the same time something niggled in the back of her mind and solely by instinct, her mental walls went up, safely innoculating her from his charm. 

Mason must have sensed something, because he relented. "I see now, that I've overstepped my bounds. I don't mean to offend you, Alexis."

"You're just not used to hearing no, are you Mason?"

"Truthfully," And here he smiled again, the predatory gleam gone from his eyes as though it had never appeared, and once again, he was the charming devil-may-care businessman with the silver tongue. "No, I'm not. And don't think I'm accepting it now. But I will back down. For now -- for tonight, at least - before you have a chance to say it."

"Mason..." he was being quite impossible. 

"In fact, I will guarantee that your next words will not shoot down any small hope I still harbor by bidding you a fond good-night." Mason put action to words by slipping his business contracts into his briefcase and rising from his chair. He offered his arm to Alexis "Allow me to escort you to your car."

As they walked towards the exit, Mason was true to his word, he gave her no chance to shoot him down or to refuse to see him again other than for business purposes. Her car was brought swiftly to the curb and he handed her down into the driver's seat himself.

Mason took one hand, and bent low over it, raising it briefly to his lips. "Perhaps at our next meeting, you'll be more.amenable to suggestion..._A bientot, ma cherie..._" Before she could reply, Mason said his final goodnights and closed her door. Alexis' last view of him was in her rear view mirror as she pulled away from the curb, an unreadble smile still n his face.

****

Sonny smiled a polite goodnight at Mason as he left, making brief eye contact with Alexis as she walked out at his side, then sat back contentedly at his seat in the bar. Lane's action didn't faze him. Johnny had already confirmed that Alexis' car was being brought around even as the pair walked to the exit. Mason would be spending the rest of the evening alone. And the cheescake guaranteed that he, Sonny, would not be. 

Sonny grinned briefly. He already knew a place on the way home where he could get the fresh strawberries and now he pondered over a decision of whipping up a small pot of hocolate fondue. A pot of melted chocolate had intresting possibilities. He waited for the fresh-baked cheescake being prepared to his exact specifications to be delivered with a sense of content and satisfaction and allowed his thoughts to wander. Maybe he should take a meeting with the curious and ambitious Mr. Lane. If the man thought himself a candidate for Alexis' affections, well, it wouldn't hurt to keep a close eye on the man._ Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer..._

"Sonny?" The sound of his sister's voice interrupted his thoughts. Sonny turned to see his Courtney and his father standing there. Sonny slid from the stool and hugged Courtney and offered his hand to Mike. 

"Everything all right?" Sonny asked. 

"It's fine, Sonny." Courtney replied. "We're here to meet my husba -- AJ for dinner. He just got a commendation from his grandfather at work, and we decided to go out to dinner to celebrate." Her eyes slid into the dining room of the Grille, looking for her husband, then came back, almost guiltily to Sonny. 

Sonny remembered everything Alexis had told him and tried, for his sister's sake, to remain calm and collected. "Hey, if you're happy tonight, then I'm happy for you."

"That's great, Sonny." Mike said. "I'm glad you feel that way."

"All I want is my sister's happiness, Mike. That's the most important thing to me right now." How he felt about AJ went unspoken. He was gratified to see the happiness in Courtney's eyes, but there was something in her gaze that troubled him. "Courtney?" Sonny made his voice as gentle as he could.

"Could I talk to you for a minute?" she asked softly. There was a tremor of fear in her voice that saddened Sonny. He didn't want his own sister afraid of him. But that was what his anger and hatred of Aj had done to her. Alexis had pointed that out to him time and time again, but it took the look in Courtney's eyes to really drive that fact home for him. Sonny took her hand in his and motioned for her to sit down next to him at the bar.

"Why don't I go and keep AJ company for a little while?" Mike suggested. He was happy enough to see the two of them sitting side by side without arguing. He smiled at them encouragingly before moving away to join AJ.

Sonny turned back to Courtney. In spite of all of his misgivings, Sonny forced himself to smile at her. This was the first time in a long time that she had made any sort of overture to him. He wouldn't destroy any chance for them to reconcile their differences before it had begun.

Courtney returned his smile tremously. "Before you start to worry, I only want to talk to you about Michael. If I'm going to accept you as my brother, than that means that Michael is my nephew. And while I'm getting to know all of my new family..and that includes you and Mike, then I was just wanted to ask you- doesn't that include Michael as well?"

Sonny took a deep breath. His first thought was that AJ had put her up to this. And that thought brought a surge of protectiveness that once upon a time, would have sent him into an explosive rage. But instead, Sonny struggled to control his first spurt of anger. He resisted the urge to order a sescond drink. 

"Of course it includes Michael." he asked tightly. "And where does AJ come in with all of this?"

"He doesn't come into it...at least not the way you think. He had nothing to do with this, Sonny." she said. " Look at me.I promise you.. I swaer to you, what I'm talking about with you now, did not come from AJ, or anything you think he might have put in my head. This is about Michael. Doesn't he deserve all the family he has? Especially with you and your wife divorcing?"

"That's a done deal already." Sonny said roughly. 

"And so Michael needs all the love and security he can get. I will see him under any reasonable structure you will allow. You can set the times and the places. I can even understand and accept any security measures you might feel are necessary. But what Michael needs most of all is to be a little boy. He has to know that things are strained between you and Carly right now. And what he needs should be the most important to everyone concerned."

"And I ask you again, Courtney. Where does AJ come into all of this?"

She looked towards her husband, now staring at them from the table and back to Sonny again. "My own opinion? AJ and Michael have a right to get to know one another without the feelings of either you -- or Carly -- coloring that. But for right now, the only one I'm thinking about is him." 

Sonny was listening to his sister talk to him, but suddenly his body tensed. AJ had risen from the table and headed their way. Just before he reached them, Courtney slid from her seat, putting herself between her husband and her brother. She put a restraining hand on AJ's arm, even as the two men locked angry and accusatory stares.

"Courtney, are you all right?" AJ asked her. He wrapped a protective arm around her and brushed his lips along her temple. His eyes never left Sonny's.

"I'm fine, AJ, I swear. I'll just be a few more minutes, and then we can have dinner, just like we planned."

AJ's voice was deceptively gentle, althugh the gaze he leveled at Sonny remained stone-hard. "Fine by me, sweetheart. Don't worry. I'm just going outside to get some fresh air. I'll be back in a few minutes."

When he was gone, Courtney turned her attention back to Sonny. "No matter what you might think, my first concern is with Michael right now. As much as I know you hate AJ, as much as I know AJ despises you, I know that you both love Michael. Or at least AJ wants the chance to love Michael. I know what it's like to grow up without knowing family. Without knowing that there is family out there, waiting and wanting to know you and ..waiting to love you. Is that what you want for Michael? Even while you claim to love him?" 

Now her eyes challenged him and he knew what she was saying without words. Hadn't he felt that same void she spoke of when Mike had left him and his mother? Isn't that what he claimed as far as his feelings for her? Everything that he had tried to do for her, didn't he claim he'd done it all in the name of love? 

Courtney seemed to sense the pain her words invoked in him, and her voice gentled. It had never been her intention to hurt him. "Do you really want Michael to grow up with that hole in his heart? With the same wound that you and I both share? Only love can fill it. And there's no such thing for a child as too much love, Sonny."

Those words, oh so softly spoken, had all the effect and devastation of a well placed bomb. It rocked Sonny to the core, reached inside of his innermost heart and found the lost little boy who had lost love all too soon in his life and had been left with a gaping wound instead that had never really healed in all these long long years.... and after a long long moment, where this all crystallized for him, Sonny answered her.

"I hear what you're saying, Courtney. After a lifetime of living with that void in my heart, I don't want that for Michael. But I don't know if I can do it. It's been there so long and been a part of me for so long, I just don't know. Can I promise you that I'll think about it? And that I'll try?" His voice caught in his throat for a moment but he forced the words out. "For Michael's sake, I can promise to try."

Courtney slid from her seat. In an unexpected gesture, she leaned over and bruhed her lips against Sonny's cheek. "I think I know how hard that was for you, and tonight, I won't ask you for anything more than that." She pulled back so that she could look into Sonny's eyes, one hand lightly touching his face. "Thank you, Sonny. Thank you so much. One day, it will be your son thanking you. Think about that."

Sonny rubbed a hand across his face. Courtney had reached inside of him and touched a place he thought no one could get to, a place he'd never really admitted even existed. He didn't know if he could handle it. If Courtney was right..._if_ ...Could his heart really open itself enough to give Michael what he really needed? Could his hatred of AJ be overcome by his love for Michael. AJ was scum, a liar, a betrayer of trust, an abuser of women. All the things that Sonny had hated all of his life...how could his hate ever overcome that?

His thoughts were floundering his emotions flooding to the surface, thratening to drag him down into an undertow of feelings he wasn't sure he was ready to deal with. He needed an anchor to see hims safely to the shore. And his mind already knew what he needed. No, who.

Alexis.


	38. Drowning

****

Drowning

AJ stood outside the entrance to the Grille for a few minutes, then turned abruptly and walked down to the end of the block. He leaned against a car and with no one to watch, he pulled a small flask from an inner coat pocket and drank deeply. 

"Didn't think you'd stay on the wagon long, AJ." He spun around at the sound of that much hated voice. "So much for wedded bliss. What'samatter? Is the honeymoon over already?"

"Go to hell, Carly." AJ watched as she climbed out of the car. 

"Been there already." she said. "Remember, I was married to you." She walked around the car to come and stand in front of him. "Saw Alexis and Sonny inside earlier. What do you want to bet that they are hatching up new and improved ways to make sure you never get near our son. When they weren't pawing all over each other, that is."

AJ snorted. "Get your paranoid mind out of the gutter. Sonny and Alexis weren't even there together. She was meeting with a client long before he ever showed and he stayed at the bar. He's talking to his sister, my sweet little wife, right now." He laughed at her. "So you see, everybody is busy with their own little lives right now. Except for you...you don't have much of a family anymore since Sonny had the sense to kick you to the curb."

"Don't hold your breath if you think Courtney's going to sway Sonny to let you get near Michael. More than likely, it will be the other way around. He'll turn Courtney against you..and then who'll have the happy little family life then? He's trying to cut me out of Michael's life... so don't you see..Sonny's got his own little family unit in mind..and it don't include -- you." 

Carly got right in AJ face for her next words. She wanted to make sure they had an impact, she wanted to make sure she made him bleed. "Sonny doesn't have much use for women, never has, since his mother abandoned him...kicked him out on the streets when he was sixteen. He doesn't even know it, but he uses women, doesn't like them much...Not unless he can pigeonhole them neatly into safe little categories. You know - like Brenda, the helpless beauty star , Hannah - remember her, another damsel in distress.. Even Alexis...the sexless ever present faithful bulldog attorney. She probably fills Sonny's missing mommy's complex... but either way, it's all nice and neat, just the way he likes it."  


"You mean he's got that Whore-Madonna complex? Guess which one you are, Carly? But I'm sure that in Carlyland, you were the exception to the rule. Yeah, yeah, you think you broke the mold, didn't you Carlybabes?"

"Damn right I did." Carly snapped.

".... and Sonny's heart." AJ shot back. "Which is why he divorced you in a heartbeat. That darn Sonny and his little quirks about honesty and loyalty." AJ took another drink and got right back in Carly's face with wicked glee. "You'd better watch out, Carly. Methinks you protest Alexis' presence in Sonny's life just a little bit too much. Could it be you're be feeling a little threatened? After all, you've always mananged to use your not-so-inconsiderable bed skills to worm your way into whatever bed you needed to at the moment. But it's not working this time, is it? 

"Hmmm.. I wonder why. Sonny's found himself spending a lot of time with a woman with class and breeding. A little too good for him, in _my_ opinion, but hey, there's no accounting for tastes. After all, I bedded you once, didn't I? Oh yeah, that's right, I forgot, I was pretty much blind drunk at the time."

AJ circled around Carly. His words were hitting a nerve and he was enjoying it. "Let's rethink the whole mommy dearest substitution, shall we? Alexis is closer to Sonny's age than you are. Could be that Sonny doesn't regard Alexis as sexless as you might like to think? After all, ya gotta wonder what's underneath all those tailored suits, don't ya? Most men would. What frothy little silk unmentionables does Alexis don under her three piece suits. And she's got some set of legs.... The heels she wears makes them seem to go on forever... I wonder if she wears garters and stockings? I wonder if Sonny knows. Alexis has brains, beauty, class and breeding, integrity and loyalty. Everything you never had. No wonder you're threatened by her. You were outclassed from day one and yu knew it!" 

"Think what you want!" Carly spat at him. "You're deluded as you ever was! But let's speak about your love life and not mine's! Sonny is going to beat you once again. He's took me...he's taken Michael, and now he's going to take Courtney. Don't you ever get tired of losing to him? Or maybe you're just such a loser that you're just stupid enough to accept it once again. I can't wait until Courtney really sees you...when Sonny opens her eyes to what you really are.. What will you do when you recognize that look in her eye. When she looks at you with the same disgust that everyone else in this town does?" Carly had had enough...she hurled herself back towards her car, the sound of AJ's laughter burning white hot in her ears. "You're stupid, AJ..as stupid as you ever were! I'll have the last laugh when it's you that's all alone out in the cold..just like you are now!!"

Carly jerked her car into life; the gears grinding in protest as she lurched the car out of her parking space. The smell of scorched rubber filled the air as she revved off down the street. 

AJ toasted her departure with a silent raising of his flask, still laughing. But his laughter stopped as quickly as it had started. He drained the last drink and fumbled the top back on. AJ's hands were shaking as he fumbled some breath mints into his mouth. Carly's words rattled in his brain as he turned and retraced his steps back to the restaurant. He didn't trust Corinthos not to try exactly what Carly accused him of... he'd love nothing better than to turn Courtney against him...and if that was true, then everything else that bitch of an ex wife had said could be true. With Carly ut of the picture for the moment, Sonny would love to ensconce Courtney there in her place as a caretaker for Michael. He ight even use AJ's own son as the wedge to pry him and Courtney apart. Her heart was so trusting, that she wouldn't even realize what her gangster brother was doing. He had to get back inside and get Courtney away from Corinthos before he said or did anything to screw up his own plans.

Before he could reach the safety of the entrance, a hand was shoving him back hard against the brick walls.

"What was that, a little celebratory toast to yourself?" Sonny said with disgust. "Can't you stay sober long enough to make my sister a decent husband?"

"You tend to your wife and I'll tend to mine." AJ snarled back. "Oh wait, you don't have a wife anymore. How many marriages is that now, Sonny? How many wives... what's the score now, two for two?" 

Sonny ignored AJ's cruel words.He had more important matters on his mind than AJ's sick taunts."Shut up. For whatever reason, my sister loves you. If I can't respect you, I can resepct that. But don't push it. Don't go back in that restaurant and disrespect her."

Carly's words have whipped AJ into an unthinking frenzy. How dare Corinthos sstand there and criticize him. AJ shoved Sonny away from him. "Your sister. It's all about what you own, isn't it, Sonny?"

Johnny, the ever present shadow at Sonny's side, stepped forward, but Sonny waved him off. "Put the cheescake in the car, Johnny. I'll be along in a moment." Johnny didn't move at first. "Now, Johnny! I can handle this!" Johnny retreated.

Sonny turned back to AJ, his face impassive, but his eyes bright with anger as AJ continued.

"Your sister. You like saying that, don't you, Sonny? It's all about what's yours... and what you possess...and what you own, isn't it? Well you don't own Courtney. She's mine. And you can't stand that, can you? You hate it that she made a choice that you don't approve of."

"No, I hate you AJ. But more than that, what I hate is the fact that Courtney can't see you for what you are. And the fact that I'm going to have to stand by and watch her learn a hard lesson in life. That everything that stands on two legs and calls themselves one, ain't a man at all. A man that uses a woman to get what he wants isn't a man at all."

"Listen to you...going on and on about using women? What pedestal did you go and put yourself on? You married a rival crime boss' daughter, you bedded first an FBI agent and then your best friend's woman.. and then there is the matter of your very pretty very competent attorney, the one with the legs that go onnnnnnnnn forever. Don't talk to me about using women. You do it every single day of your life."

AJ was in a vicious mood and it made him reckless, brave, very very stupid or a combination of all three. He didn't much care which as he launched into a tirade.. "You told your sister you accepted this marriage? You gonna go back on your word to her? How much will she respect you after that? You wanna steal my son, you think it's a done deal. Well fine. Turnabout is fair play... So sit back, relax, and watch me steal your sister. Look how much she loves me. She's going to get my son back for me without me even having to do a thing? What are you going to do, tell her she can't see her nephew? Why? 'Cause you don't trust her? Think how much you'll break her heart…you can't do that, not to your new-found sweet baby sister; so then you'll have to give in…and sooner or later, Mikey will learn that his auntie's husband is actually his daddy. Why? Because my dear sweet wife will feel he needs to know. She's got a thing about truths. You know that… and once Mikey learns the truth..that I'm his daddy -- not you.... not you! He'll find out what liars you and your trampy ex-wife are." 

He laughed "Oh who would have thought my plan to get my son back would have worked so well. And I'm glad you didn't give in the night you fund out Curtney and I were married. It's made things that much more delicious." He leaned in close to Sonny. "Yeah, really delicious. You really did do me a favor by bringing your sweet delectable baby sis to town. I don't know the last time I've had a woman so sweet and lovable…..really, really lovable…or is that lickable?" 

AJ chuckled. "I've given _your_ sister her every dream. I give her everything you can't. And you know what I mean by that, don't you Sonny boy? And I give it to her every single night. Days too.Mornings, afternoons...and nights..."

Sonny felt encased in ice. His body couldn't move and he went blind with fury for an endless moment. He didn't even remember snatching AJ by the lapels of his coat and ramming him bodily against the wall. All he knew was that suddenly they were face to face, the reek of AJ's drunken breath rank and foul in his nostrils.

"Sonny," AJ was saying, still managing to look ammused. His expression had it all; he knew that he had Sonny in the crosshairs. "Don't look so horrified. You know damned well what I'm talking about..after all, we have so many women in common... Hannah, Carly... and now Courtney. Sweet Courtney, living the life of a Quartermaine princess. And guess what, I can continue doing that, giving her the life she's dreamed of…or I can change it all around. It's up to you. Just let this little scenario play out the way it's going, all of it..Courtney's happy marriage, Mikey's brand new auntie, and everything that will come in time… The big reveal. It won't be so bad – except that Mikey will get to know who his real dady is and you and your slut wife..excuse me.slut ex-wife will be shown for the liars and hypocrites you two really are. Sure Michael may feel he never wants to see your lying face again, but maybe it won't be forever. But hey, it's a chance you'll have to take. And you don't have a choice. Because it's up to you…Do nothing, and I will continue to give Courtney her dream. Try to stop her in any way, and I will make her life a nightmare."

Sonny stared at the other man, each foul word coming out of his mouth giving shape and form to his worst nightmares. He flung him away from him. AJ stumbled, but reached out a hand and caught himself from falling. He took a step away from Sonny and then turned and laughed. "Oh I know, you'd like to pound me into pulp. ut it might be a little hard explaining that to Courtney if I walked back in right after you walked out if I had so much as a splinter in my pinky, wouldn't it?"

AJ laughed a final time. "Remember, Sonny. A dream, or a nghtmare. The choice is up to you." AJ walked towrds the restaurant, whistling a nameless tune.

Sensation returned in shuddering waves, engulfing any doubts, drowning any hopes and that Sonny might have held, or alternatives that might have been

He had no choice. None.


	39. Into The Abyss

Into the Abyss

Alexis pushed her glasses down on her nose and sighed. She'd reread the notes in her hand for the fourth time in ten minutes and still couldn't remember a single word she'd read. Something wouldn't let her concentrate. A prickle of unease kept dancing along her spine, and try as she might, she couldn't shake it. It had been a long evening, and one she'd spent alone, with nothing but contracts and notes to keep her company. But her concentration had been off all evening and she just didn't know why.

_You're overthinking, _Alexis thought to herself with a rueful smile She stood, stretching, then wandered over to the living room window, opening the balcony windows. _Sonny would be smiling at her now, telling her to just breathe. _

And probably handing her a small brown paper bag.

Smiling, Alexis took a deep breath of the fresh air. It felt good, after being cooped up with papers and folders all evening. But her sense of unease suddenly returned, stronger than ever. The air felt heavy, oppresive somwhow, even though the night skies above were clear. She'd felt the same in the Greek islands where she'd grown up, just before one of the heavy summer storms had swept down across the mountains and the mansion where she'd endured for so many years. Her Cassidine genes were raising havoc again. Alexis tried to smile again, but it died on her lips. With no real reason as to why, she couldn't shake a feeling that a storm was brewing.

Unable to get her uneasy feelings out of her mind, Alexis left the balcony, driven inexplicably to the door. She told herself that she wasn't checking on Sonny - she needed the break from the work he'd piled on her at the last minute. But why he'd insisted that these contracts be done tonight of all nights, to be messengered out first thing in the morning was beyond her. There had been nothing in them that _she_ could see that needed to be done with such urgency. But Sonny had insisted on her going over all these agreements with a fine toothed comb. Tonight.

And the reason why jelled for her as she opened the door and stepped into the hallway.

"Hello, Benny." Her voice was cool and collected, surprising Sonny's aide and Max, the bodyguard on call tonight, and most of all, surprising herself. "If you'll excuse me, I have something I need to go over with Sonny."

Benny had the grace to have a problem meeting her eyes. "He's very busy right now. There's some -- something involving the casinos. Nothing that need concern you."

Her eyes dropped to the briefcase in his hand and certain facts darted through her minds, sorted themselves out and fitted themselves neatly into place. Her voice compelled him to look up and face her. "I'm aware that you and I handle vastly different aspects of Sonny's business," and here her voice became interlaced with a skein of steel that said it would accept no interference.. "... but today mine takes precedence." He fell silent. Neither man made any attempt to stop her as she strode across the hall to knock on Sonny's door.

Sonny opened the door. "Did you get any rest?"

Alexis walked past him, "No I didn't. I was too busy going over those coffee contracts that you insisted on being finished by morning. I've had a busy evening - just as you intended. And now I know why - especially after seeing Benny. You had it all worked out. And you gave the order to have AJ killed."

Sonny walked away from her. The phone rang and he moved to answer it. Alexis didn't hear the exchange. She couldn't. For all that she'd known about Sonny, what his life consisted of, this was the first time it had touched her directly. It was surreal, as though she were standing out side of herself, watching everything like it was a scene in a movie. But she couldn't turn the channel as much as she wanted to. It was as though she were sudenlly watching a stranger.

"... all right. Bye." He hung up the phone and turned back to her. "I thought that you'd be getting some rest."

"Is this your polite way of asking me to leave?" To her own ears, her voice seemed to be coming from far away, and her heart seemed suddenly sheathed in ice. It made it easier to talk to him somehow, made it easier to get the words past the sudden painful lump of dread that had lodged itself in her throat. In an age-old response, her analytical self took over, quashing any emotional response. "Believe me, Sonny, I'll be gone if I don't get some answers. What was in the briefcase that you handed to Benny?"

"Money."

"For services rendered? Did you order a hit on A.J. Quartermaine?" She had to know. She'd never intruded into his "business" before; it was an unspoken agreement between them that there were certain lines that she didn't cross, and certain matters he didn't involve her in. But this was different. She _had _to know. She had to know - was this the same man that she had danced with under a tropical moonlit night? The same man that had held her in his arms while she cried out her fear after Helena had kidnapped her, her lethal step-mother? Or the man she'd laughed with over coffee and biscotti? Was this the same man that she had come to regard as her best friend and was he truly capable of this level of cold-blooded murder? This wasn't about 'business'. And the ramifications of this act were anathema to her.

He didn't answer her question. "You like working for me, Alexis. It's a challenge, it pays well, and I'm a lot more interesting than a bunch of stuffy executives. I wanted the best legal representative, and you agreed to do that, with certain conditions. One was that you wouldn't defend me against any kind of violent crime, and the other one was that you wouldn't be party to anything illegal. If I were you, I would stop asking questions you don't want the answer to."

This was the first time Sonny had not been straight with her. The stab of pain that went through her as she made that realization took her breath away, but only for a moment. A flare of anger at that betrayal quickly took its place. "Do you think a smug, arrogant answer like that will make me behave like the rest of your minions? Unlike your minions, I have a bottom line, and what you say right now could be a deal breaker. It's your choice. Answer the question" She paused, not wanting to hear the answer, but knowing the question had to be asked. "Did you order a hit on A.J. Quartermaine?"

She wanted to be angrier at him, knew that she should be, but somehow, she couldn't muster it. There was more than anger at him in her heart - it was despair. She'd seen Sonny grown in the last few months..and all of his gains seemed to be melting away with every word. "I'd like to think that I know you, Sonny. That I know your faults and your limits. I know you're ambitious. I know you're calculating, and I know that you have a self-indulgent temper. But until now, I never thought that you were capable of taking human life."

"Then you're wrong. I've killed before. I shot Joe Scully, the man who got rid of my stepfather for me."

Alexis recognized his words for the fake-out and the attempt at diversionary tactics that it was. "That was self-defense." Oh, so he wanted to dance? Fine, they would dance, then. "I pulled your police file when I agreed to represent you the first time."

"Then you know Luke was the only witness. We were partners then, and he hates cops. He lies to them as a matter of principle."  
  
So now he was trying to push her away. Why? Was it to protect her, or to protect himself? Alexis couldn't be sure. She wanted to believe that Sonny's first concern was to protect her. But the truth was there staring her in the face. Sonny was a self-centered, selfish egotistical man. He'd told her - warned her - more than a dozen times himself. But if that were the case, if his motives were to protect her, then why wouldn't she let him? That was a question that made her feel torn between what was and what ought to be. Their friendship and everything they had come to mean to one another was being tested here.

Alexis had known all along that the life that Sonny led was full of danger. A part of her had known someday that this moment would come. Choices had to be made. By the both of them. But neither one of them was willing to be the first to draw the line that could irrevocably change their lives. "So you're saying that you are a murderer?"  
  
"What I'm saying is I used to sell papers on the street corner, and now I own ten casinos in three different countries. Nobody gave me anything. I took it all. And what's mine, I keep, and that includes my family."

He wasn't fooling her. Not at all. Words and more words. "Forget about your family and your self-serving excuses. There is no justification for murder."  
  
"But self-defense is all right, though, if you're trying to save your own life -- "  
  
"Courtney's life isn't at stake." she answered sharply.

"But you've got to admit Courtney would be so much better off if A.J. disappeared."  
  
"Is that some sort of a euphemism? Murder by any name is unacceptable." Even now, in spite of all his evasions, she could be nothing less than truthtful with him. "I'm not going to sit in judgment about what you've done because there are things in my past that I really wouldn't want examined too closely. But if A.J. Quartermaine dies, I'm done. I'm not your lawyer," she paused, then taking a deep breath, went on. "... and I'm sure as hell not your friend."

She was his friend, _more_ than a friend, in all - no -every- sense of the word. And he was hers - and she had thought they were at the verge of finding something new and wonderful for the two of them - and damn-it.. she was not going to let him throw his life away - suddenly, Alexis found herself coming to the decision that she would do everything to protect him - even from himself. Somehow she had to make him see the un-mendable, irrevocable damage that he would do to himself..to the very essence of who he was. It didn't matter how ruthless and cold the world viewed him - or even maybe how he viewed himself. But murdering AJ - or more significant in Sonny's eyes -murdering Michael's father - would scar him far more than he could realize. She knew that he was capable of such cold-hearted decisions and had in the past.

But this was different - this would wound him more than he knew. And she could not stand by and let him do this to himself. So even though it killed a part of her heart to say the words, knowing what they would do to him pained her more than he would ever know - she forced them out, not knowing if they would make any difference, but praying somehow that they would.. "I will see you the way the rest of the world sees you -- as a cold-hearted, conscienceless killer. Call off the hit, Sonny. Are you no better than your stepfather?"  
  
Alexis watched, her heart plummeting to the floor as the look in his eyes shuttered, shut her out. She'd seen Sonny freeze others out - but never her - never before this.

"I gave Benny a briefcase of money." he was saying. "It could have been for a bank deposit. It could have been to buy Courtney a wedding present."

"Her husband's death." How could he speak of death and dying so calmly? How had she allowed herself to become so close to a man who was so diamterically opposite to everything that she valued?

"Well, everybody dies eventually. If A.J. gets in an accident or takes off to parts unknown, how is that my fault?"

"Look, you're not going to answer me, are you?"  
  
Was that a sigh she heard in his voice? Alexis wished desperately - with every fiber of her being - that somehow she was reaching the man that _she_ knew,, the real Michael Corinthos that so very few people realized actually existed. She prayed that she could reach him, not just for herself - but for his own soul's sake.

"I told you what I could. Alexis, I'm sorry if it's not what you want to hear, but there are -- there are certain things I don't discuss for my protection and yours" Sonny said.

"That's worked very well for us -- no self-incrimination, every remark left open to interpretation, pithy conversations about friendship and trust that never go any further." Alexis' decision firmed and resolved itself. She could not - would not - allow him to destroy himself. Alexis paused - gathering her courage in her hands and then plunging ahead. He coudln't see it - but she could. He was destroying himself - all in the name of protecting his new-found baby sister. And his devotion to her Courtney was such that incredibly - he couldn't even see what he was willing to do to himself in order to protect her. It was all mixed up with the part of him that thought himself unworthy of love... She couldn't let him do it. If she could - she'd stop him at all costs. And so she pulled out the last piece of the arsenal that she had assembled in his defense that she had.  
"What do I mean to you, Sonny?" she asked, turning to face him where before she hadn't dared.. "What does it mean that I'm asking you to stop this and that I will be out of your life forever if you don't?"

Did she matter to him half as much as he had come to matter to her?Alexis wondered. Could she have been so mistaken? So deluded in her own fantasies? All of Alexis' life-long insecurites came flooding to the surface.... all that she had suffered at the hands of her bastard kin came flooding to the surface. If she meant so little to him - then she needed to know. Right here, right now.   
"Everybody..." she said to him. "-- everybody has warned me about you, that you are not who you pretend to be, that you use friendship and you use compassion as tricks to manipulate people. Are you manipulating me?"

Alexis let the pain of that thought fill her voice- she wanted him to _hear_ it - to feel the heart crushing pain the same as she did. The answering flash in his eyes, no matter how quickly he hid it, told her that he did. He felt this widening gulf between them every bit that she did "....Because I find it so hard to believe that I could be so wrong about you. That when you told me all the ways that you've been hurt and got me to tell you all the things that I've never said to another living soul -- I'm just the best attorney that a lot of money and a few lies can buy."  
  
"I value you, Alexis." And at last she thought she saw a hint of pain and yes- the nakedness of true emotion - in his eyes as he spoke .. as he faced her.. the first crack in the facade of matter-of-factness he'd put up in response to her words - but she couldn't be sure. But nonetheless, in spite of every warning that her soul screamed to her his following words kindled a response her deepest soul.  
"I've told you how much. But there are things you don't get to know, choices I make that have nothing to do with you."

"If A.J. dies, you've made me a party to murder."

Murder. Alexis didn't want to - but she had to put that word between them, and make it clear to Sonny what he was choosing to do. Sonny had to hear it - no matter how many times he may have ordered the deed done before - this time- it was different. This act would push his soul beyond redemption.....even unto himself - and she could not let that happen without a fight. If he thought this was about her opinion of him and if that damaged their friendhsip beyond repair then so be it.. but it was so much more than that. Alexis knew that she knew Sonny. And blind himself to the facts all he might in the heat of the moment, the fact of killing Michael's birth father would destroy him in the end. And Alexis would risk all -even if that meant everything he'd come to mean to her - to prevent that from happening.

Death was a finality that could not be undone. It was a wound that Sonny would never recover from.

Alexis looked into his eyes. It was his soul that would be irrevocably undone. If he went through with this, he'd go into that dark corner of his soul, and this time, there was a part of him that would more than likely never return. Her soul cried out in wordless agony at the thought.

That's how much he had come to mean to her. He was worth everything to her - and why he couldn't see this, she couldn't understand. Or accept.

It was these thoughts that formed her next words. "I heard you. I know that you have intent. I know I should have gone straight to the police, but instead I tried to stop you myself because I trusted our friendship.." And now her voice was ragged with her pain. Pushed to the limits of her soul's senses, Alexis could no longer worry about his pain,,the agony he was inflicting on her overwhelmed her sensibility and the rationality she exercised and valued so much.The agony he caused her was in every syllable she spoke. "I have put _everything_ that I am on the line for you, and you _cannot _do this to me!"

A long and heavy silence sprung up between them. Amazingly, Sonny was the one to break it.

"I said nothing that could be used against me in court. If you see me as a threat to A.J., then that's in your head, and I can't be held responsible."  
  
He could not- no- chose not to - see what he was choosing to do. Alexis' heart plunged into depair. She knew all too well how stubborn he could be when pushed to the wall. There was no reaching him, a part of her realized. And yet she had to try. There was no other choice open to her. First it was evasiveness, now he tried to challenge her love of logic, the core of who she was. But she wouldn't let it slide without a challenge of her own. "That's very, very impressive. Very good, Sonny. If I didn't know that you had never graduated high school, I'd think you were a lawyer. Is that all I am to you? A lawyer?"  
  
****The tiniest crack appeared in his armor. For a moment, she'd thought she'd gotten to him. Alexis thought she heard it in his voice and a spark of hope flamed within her.  
  
"You defend me, Alexis. You keep my secrets. You understand the things that I can't say. I started out admiring you, and then I liked you." Sonny paused. What he said next startled the both of them, the words as well as the honesty behind them.."....And now I need you. It's plain and simple. I hate needing anything or anyone, but I need you."

"Then stop this. For yourself. For me."  
  
"You got to understand I've been disrespected. If I don't remedy that, then I'll be seen as vulnerable, open for attack. I won't show weakness, Alexis." He paused for a nanosecond. "Not even for you."   
  
"And I won't stand by a murderer."

And now, the silence that yawned before them seemed to encompass a chasm as deep and as wide as the Grand Canyon. And there they were standing on opposite sides of the abyss, the lines unmistakably drawn between them.


	40. Coming Home

Coming Home

Alexis felt as though her entire body had turned to stone. Her heart and mind refused to accept what she had just heard, but she felt as though she could not speak or move. She was entombed in stone. Or ice. Bone chilling, soul numbing ice that sheathed her heart and had her go mercifully numb.

She never noticed when Sonny had begun to move. But she sensed him as he moved toward her, then past her. Alexis could not even summon up strength enough to follow him with her eyes. His voice came to her from what seemed a very far distance and it was a few minutes before her mind actually registered what it was he was saying.

He wasn't speaking to her, but into the phone. "....That's right, plans have changed. I - don't ask me." he was saying. "Just - they have their money. I don't want to hear from these people."

Sonny came to stand before her. His head dipped before he looked at her. "Aren't you going to thank me?"

Alexis thawed slowly out of her deep freeze, her voice unbeliving." Thank you?" Despite the relief pouring through her that turned her muscles to little more than water and threatened to weaken her knees, she managed to stand upright and face Sonny head on. "Ahem, _you_ should be on my hands and knees thanking me because not only did I save you from first-degree murder, I risked my career, my principles and everything I value for you."

"Why?" His eyes burned with a strange intensity.

"I don't know."

"I think you do." Sonny's words held an unspoken challenge.

A challenge Alexis had no answer for. If he didn't know - if her words and actions tonight hadn't told him everything that she couldn't put into words...

Sonny was talking again, his eyes never leaving her face. It was almost as though he were seeing her for the first time. Or maybe he was willing her to see him for the first time, in a brand new way...  
"You know what you are to me now? Someone who matters, someone I need too much to push away. What am I to you? I mean, what are we to each other?"

"You're like a dance, Alexis, and I'm not talking about drunk on rum in Puerto Rico." The memories that his words evoked in Alexis sent a rush of feeling through her, of a longing for that long-ago magical night that she couldn't deny. "You -- you -- you like to dance around me, and that's fine because I -- I like to dance with you, too. But not tonight. You forced me to choose, and I -- I chose you. I wonder, if the positions were reversed, would you choose me?"

Alexis could only stare at Sonny wordlessly. As many times as she might have fantasized about their friendship moving to some new level, never in her wildest imaginations, had it come about in such a way.

"You're a great lawyer and a great friend." Sonny said to her. "We can keep it that way, or we can keep dancing indefinitely. All you gotta do is walk out."

Involuntarily, Alexis glanced at the door, knowing in the same moment that it was no option - and never had been, not even for the merest split-second. Her eyes turned from the door to meet Sonny's. There was no guile in them, the chasm between them had closed in the space of a single heartbeat - hers and his. His words had done that. HIs actions had done that - everything that he was, the need to protct him, the need to be what the world saw him as - he had laid all of that aside. _For her._

And now the honesty and yes, the vulnerability in his gaze staggered her beyond words. The wild swing of emotions that had swept through her in the last little while had rendered her of nothing but the barest of emotions. Yes, they'd been in a dance, with first one then the other advancing, then retreating, circling each other but never more than that, until tonight. But the dance was over. The time was now.

She saw it in Sonny's eyes, not realizing that it was just as plainly reflected in her own. But she watched, fascinated, as Sonny moved towards her slowly. And then like it was the most natural thing in the world, they moved into one another's embrace.

As he felt Alexis' arms come up to embrace him, Sonny breathed a silent heartfelt prayer of thanks. Everything in him untangled and he felt at rest for the first time in a very very long time. Sonny felt himself let go of all doubts and fears, just like he let go of his need for revenge and rage - all in the same breath, it seemed - it had disappeared when faced with the choice of that or watching Alexis wlk out of his life forever, as he gave into the desire, the want and need that had been haunting him for months. All the his demons in his soul were at last laid to rest.   
  
As he sank into Alexis' embrace, Sonny came home.

After a space of mindless eternity, they drew back briefly from one another. Then it was their mouths, touching tentatively at first, then in a deepening hunger, clinging together as their bodies pressed together in a moment of undeniable need. Time ceased to exist once again and never before had Sonny felt this sense of mutual want and desire. The sense of equlaity, of fulfillment had never been present before at this moment for him. Ever.

One hand rose of its own accord to cup Alexis' face, tilting her face to bring her lips into deeper communion with his own. Sonny's own senses thrilled as he felt her repsonse to his need for her; her long slender fingers came up to slide sensuously against his neck where his skin was bared above his shirt collar as a sigh of desire escaped her lips.. Sonny trembled at the simple touch and felt an answering chord ripple through Alexis' body

Then somehow, without either one of them quite knowing how they got there, they were upstairs in his bedroom, still without having spoken a word. But that didn't matter; each kiss and caress they shared spoke more eloquently than words could ever do.

Sonny found himself lost to conscious thought, he was nothing but pure feeling as his lips trailed a path down the long smooth column of Alexis' throat- a sharp thrill of pleasure shot through him as he felt her body shudder as his mouth found the soft spot at the base of her throat. She murmured incoherently in pleasure just before his lips found hers once more. She pulled back slightly to gaze into his eyes. At long last, he saw everything she must have been feeling for him all this time, and it awed him, the depth of feeling he found in the twin deep dark brown depths of her eyes.

He broke the kiss, moving slowly and purposefully to the edge of the bed. He sat, turning to see that Alexis hadn't moved. He held out his hand to her, an unspoken plea in his eyes. Alexis moved towards him slowly, almost hesitantly.

Didn't she know there was nothing to be afraid of anymore for either of them, no fear, no doubts, no barriers, that this was the beginning of no more dancing between them ever again? Didn't she know that he realized what she had done for him tonight, that he didn't recognize the sacrifice that she had been willing to make - all for him? Or what Aleixs had done to him, for him - what nobody had been able to do in quite the same way - brought him back from the edge of darkness and into the light?

Alexis came to sit beside him. He could feel the slight tremble that went through her, and sensed her hesitation. He slipped a comforting arm across her shoulders.

"This is just a llittle...." she began. Alexis' sudden shyness endeared her even more to Sonny, if that were possible.

"It's right, it's right..." he hastened to reassure her.

Alexis looked at him. "It's sudden...."

"Hey, hey," he whispered. "....Not for me." His words seemed to dissolve the last of her fears. Sonny swept her into his arms and another embrace entwined with a lingering kiss that left them both breathless and wanting more.

Alexis drew away from him, to the edge of the bed. Sonny didn't move. Whatever she wanted, whatever she needed, Sonny was content to let her decide. Even still, he ached for her with everything that was in him. _please... _he breathed a silent prayer to himself _let me be the man she needs.... _If this was too soon for her, then he would wait, Sonny would not let his own selfish desires move him tonight; he was determined to be whatever it was she needed him to be. Sonny watched as Alexis shifted until she was balanced on her knees a short ditance away from him. Then very slowly, very deliberately, Alexis unbuttoned her jacket, revealing the dark satin camisole slip beneath. Her eyes never left his as she showed him what her choice was.

_Alexis had chosen him._

She leaned back towards him, into him, with body, mind and soul, and then together, Sonny and Alexis sank backwards into the softness of the bed beneath them, allowing themselves to be led into the dance that was as old as mankind.  
Then there was no more thoughts, nothing but feelings revealed and shared as hands and then lips uncovered and caressed the hard enticement of chisled masculine curves and sweet soft hollows of flesh. His hands reveled in the smooth feel of her skin beneath his fingertips, even as she joyously surrendered to the insistance of his body covering hers.

The power and intensity of his feelings as their bodies fused into one almost scared him. Almost, but not quite. As one, they gasped at this most intimate of contacts. Gazing down at her, in her eyes, Sonny found a peace and sureness that had never come to him before at this moment. Too often, with the first intimacy with a woman, there was a sense of ownership and pride, of conquest complete. But not now. Now Alexis' true beauty shone up out him through her eyes. Now there was a sense of joining and completeness - of rightness - that he had never expereienced before.

It humbled him.

Sonny brought her hand to his lips, caressing the palm with his lips briefly, then pressing it to his heart in an unspoken declaration of tenderness and caring. He watched as Alexis' eyes filled with tears at the heartfelt gesture.

And then he was kissing them away. His mouth traveled across her heated flesh, tasting the sweetness of her. Their mutual sounds of pleasure were a benediction, a chant of desire, a prayer… Senses became lost to one another, all sense of self surrenderng to the ever-expanding white hot core of pasion that drew them into one being as they reached for the ultimate pinnacle of pleasure… they lingered willingly at the brink of desire fulfilled until it became almost unbearable. Together Sonny and Aleixis reached the plateau where neither of them could tell where one ended and the other began.

From the depths of their passion they soared into the blinding white-hot of the sun, into the place where two souls became as one; they were hurtling together over the peak, to tumble down at last into one another's arms.


	41. In Dawn's Early Light

In Dawn's Early Light

A beautiful night and a marvelous morning. Alexis sat at the table, the remains of their breakfast before them while the rich smell of fresh brewed coffee wafted in from the kitchen, still hardly daring to believe that things between them had changed literally overnight. Before Sonny had left the room, he'd just gotten through making gently teasing comments that had her cheeks still warm and blushing. _And I'll never be able to look at strawberries the same way ever again._

The rich sound of Sonny's gentle laughter at her blushes still echoed in her ears. He'd been amazing. He acted like her waking up in the morning beside him had been the most natural thing in the world. When she would have slipped away silently, he'd stopped her, teased her and kissed her softly, reassuring her without having to say the words. Even an unexpected early morning visit from Kristina hadn't fazed him. He'd made small talk with her little sister and then left them alone, under the pretext of making coffee.

"All I care about is that you're happy." Kristina had said to her, her eyes sparkling with her own joy. "And I can see that you are. That's what matters to me."

Kristina had slipped off before Sonny had returned, leaving Alexis alone. She sat back down at the table, one hand cupping her chin as she became lost in thought. She _was _happy, she decided tentatively. Happier than she had been a long time, happier than she had a right to be. _Where did that thought come from,_ she wondered.

She'd woken up at the first blush of dawn to find herself snuggled close to Sonny. _Even though I don't do snuggling_ she laughed to herself. She'd lain there for a time, savoring the early morning peace, broken only by the sound of their breathing. Sonny's was deep and even as he slept the sleep of satiation. Alexis felt the same languor in her body, the delicious feeling of sweet exhaustion.

The room had been bathed in the most beautiful pale glow of dawn sunlight she could remember seeing, and Sonny's body, half draped in the sheets was mostly exposed to her gaze. The sunlight danced over his body and his lithe form glistened, kissed by the golden rays of the sun like a statue come to life. Without moving, Alexis' eyes roamed over him, remembering the hunger she'd had for him. His hair curled loose from the control he usually imposed upon it, escaping to lie loosely across one brow, giving him the rakish appearance of a little boy, but the strong lines of his face gave lie to the look, marking him as all man. The thick fan of his eyelashes swept down and drew her eyes along firm cheekbones and down to his mouth.

That mouth. Alexis's body warmed all over again as she thought of that beautiful mouth and the feelings it had aroused in her. The sweet Spanish love words it had whispered to her as Sonny scattered heated kisses along the full length of her body and taste and tecture of his lips as they had captured her own and sent her spiraling into ecstasy time and time again.

Reluctantly, she shifted and endeavored to slip from the bed. It had been a miraculous fantasy brought to life, but morning was here and reality with it. If she hurried, she'd thought, she should be able to get across the hallway and into her own apartment before Sonny awoke and before her sister did too. No one had to know what had happened between she and Sonny, and it was probably better if it ended this way so that no one would be disappointed or put into the awkward position of having to make explanantions.

Yes, it was a beautiful memory she had now, and they could go on as though nothing had happened. It was probably for the best. That's what she had thought, and happily, she had been proven totally wrong.

Sonny came back into the room. "You okay?"

Alexis came out of her thoughts and smiled up at him. "That's about the tenth time you've asked me that this morning."

"Well after I opened my eyes to find you trying to leave the..umm.. scene of the crime, I have to ask."

"I told you then and I tell you now, I'm okay."

"You were _more _than okay, trust me." Sonny smiled wickedly at her. Unable to resist he laughed as he saw another set of blushes rising in her cheeks. "Okay doesn't begin to describe you." He pretended to be suddenly deep in thought. "What is the word I'm looking for...sensational, exhilerating, seductive, stimulating, passionate..."

"Sonny!"

He crossed the room to her. "....breathtaking.." Sonny murmured huskily as he bent down to kiss her in a way that managed to take _her_ breath away. "I knew once I got you out of those lawyer clothes, you'd be a revelation."

He ran one hand up her bare leg, delighting in the shiver his touch evoked in her. Alexis had come down dressed in one of his shirts, and he was very much enjoying the view it gave him of her beautifully long legs. "This is a good look for you, Counselor. You should wear it to court - with a pair of your not-so-sensible pumps."

"Any pair in particular you had in mind?" Alexis asked dryly.

"Wit.. you're trying to give me wit, aren't you? It's a little early in the morning for wit, Alexis. Actually, there's this navy pair you have, they have little silver charms that dangles from the backs..."

"I hadn't realized you'd noticed." Alexis said.

"Alexis, with those legs of yours, how could I _not_ notice? Like now..."

She could feel herself begininng to blush again and tried to hide it by reaching for her glass of juice. "I only wore your shirt becaue my clothes are a bit - rumpled."

"Wanna go home, and change into something so we can rumple you all over again?"

"Sonny!" His words had caught Alexis just as she was trying to take a sip and she choked slightly.

Sonny laughed and patted her energetically on the back. "Are you okay?"

"That's eleven times you've asked me that."

"Well, this time, it was to make sure you're okay physically. But since the question is on the floor, are you okay? With everything, I mean."

"I'm okay." She took a deep breath. "I'm just going to state the obvious. Does anybody have any idea of what happens next?

"Does anybody?"

"Good point."

Sonny started to say something, but they were interrupted by a knock at the door, followed by Zander's shouting.

Sonny went to the door and jerked it open. "What the hell's wrong?"

"There was a news report. A car went off the cliffs at Richmond Bluff. A woman in a blue sports coupe."

"So what?" Sonny snapped.

"Carly drives a blue coupe."

"Carly doesn't drive."

"Yeah Sonny, she does."

Sonny turned to Alexis. The shock in his eyes was mirrored in her own.


	42. Promises and Prayers

Promises and Prayers

The next few days passed in a daze. Alexis barely saw Sonny, and when she did, he was totally preoccupied with Carly's disappearance. That's what he insisted on calling it to anyone who would listen. She was missing and she'd be home soon.

If she had thought killing AJ would have done irreperable damage to Sonny's psyche, then watching him try to deal with Carly's disappearance was ten times worse than anything else she could have imagined.

He'd refused to give up hope. The news that there was no body found in the car was a sign to him, that somehow, Carly had gotten out. Sonny convinced himself that it meant she was alive, and just stranded somewhere and unable to make contact. He'd pulled all his men in that he could to supplement the police as they searched for her. Alexis also found out that both Nikolas and Jax had added their resources and manpower to the search as well.

But as time passed, hope faded. Sonny slept little, ate less and Alexis could only watch, helpless, as he struggled against the growing odds. Where he was, Alexis couldn't help but be, lending her quiet support and strength to his.

Sonny barely slept or ate during this time. More than once, she'd found him at the crash site, staring out over the murky waters below the bluff. When she couldn't find him at the penthouse, she knew where to look for him. Walking up the slope to the bluff's edge, she found him in almost the identical site she'd left him at earlier in the day and was saddened by his appearance.  
Normally a fastidious man, Sonny looked as though he headn't shaved in days, or even bothered to change his clothes.

She'd come upon him standing at the railing while the searchers dove in the lake and searched through the lake's forested edges. Mindful of the police and rescue workers all around them, she said nothing, but stood by his side in silence, lending her strength to his as she had done so many times. Alexis glanced down, noticing that their hands were almosst touching where they rested, side by side on the railing. She shifted slightly, letting the baby finger of one hand touch against his slightly. Sonny didn't move, except to allow his fingers to briefly entwine themselves with hers.

Sonny's phone rang. Reluctnantly, he disentangled his fingers from hers to answer it. The phne call was brief but Alexis could tell from the look in his eyes that the news had done nothing to alleviate his pain.

"That was Bobbie. Michael had another bad dream. He's asking for me and.. and his mother."

"He still doesn't know yet, does he?" Alexis asked, aching for the pain in Sonny's gaze.

"How can I tell him anything when... when I don't know anything myself!" Sonny burst out.

The sound of the naked agony in his voice caused several people around them to turn to look at them. Alexis noticed Jax and Mason standing with a group of searchers as they clustered around a map spread out on the hood of a car. Jax's gaze flickered quickly from Sonny to her, the concern evident in his look.

Alexis watched Sonny as he visibly fought for control. "Michael knows something is wrong... he keeps asking for his mother and no one is giving him a straight answer."

"I wish there was something more I could do."

"Knowing that you're here for me helps me more than anything." Sonny sighed heavily. "I'd better get over to Bobbie's. If I sit with him long enough, he'll get some sleep."

"What about you, Sonny?" Alexis asked. "When was the last time that you slept?"

He shrugged. "Don't know." Conscious of the people around them, they didn't move but looked long and hungrily at each other, wanting nothing more than to reach out and hold each other, but knowing they couldn't.

"You'd better get going." Alexis said at last. "I ordered you some take out from the No-Name and had it delivered to the penthouse. I hope you don't mind."

"Of course I don't." Sonny nodded. "I don't know what time I'll get home, but thank you, Alexis. I'll stop in and check on you when I get home."

_It's me that should be checking on you._ Alexis thought looking at him sadly, wanting so badly to be able to take care of him.

"I know." Sonny said, reading her mind. "And as soon as Carly comes home, we'll take care of each other. Maybe a trip to the islands - no business this time. How does that sound?" He tried for a smile but it fluttered and died on his lips even as Alexis watched.

"We don't have to think about that right now," Alexis said. "We'll have plenty of time later to plan a trip."

"I know, but I want to promise you that we will take that trip. And I want you to promise me that you'll go with me."

"Of course I'll go with you." Alexis assurred him.

Sonny tried to smile at her again, this time in farewell. He started to leave, but suddenly turned back to her. "Promise me, Alexis."

Surprised by the sudden intensity in his eyes, Alexis nodded. "I promise, Sonny."

Sonny nodded once, in unspoken answer, then left. He passed by Jax as he went to his own car, neither man acknowledging the other's presence. But Jax, seeing her alone, walked up the slope to her.

Taking one look at her face, Jax didn't offer a lecture on the evils of all things Corinthos, but only opened his arms in an offer of wordless comfort. Alexis went gratefully into his embrace not realizing how tired she was herself until she let herself find rest in her friend's arms.

"Alexis, when is the last time you've gotten any rest?" Jax asked concernedly. He tightened his arms around her, enfolding her in his strength.

Alexis had closed her eyes as Jax's arms held onto to her comfortingly. "I actually fell asleep on my couch for an hour or so earlier this evening. When I woke up, I checked across the hall and found out that Sonny been home but had gone out again. I knew he had come here." Alexis looked up into Jax's face, her eyes earnest. "I couldn't let him be out here all alone, Jax."

"Of course you couldn't." Jax said as he pressed a kiss on her brow. "You wouldn't be who you were if you could. One of the many things I've always adored about my favorite ex-wife." he said, trying to elicit a smile from her. He was gratified to see that it worked as a slightly tired smile briefly graced Alexis' face.

Jax sighed and began to guide her down the slope, not reliquishing his hold on her. "There's no love lost between Sonny and I, but I wouldn't wish the pain I saw in his eyes just now on anyone - not even him."

"Did you drive yourself here?" he asked. When Alexis nodded in answer, he looked around, and finding her car, guided her to the passenger's side. "I'm going to get you some tea and something to eat. Then I'm going to get the latest update on the search. After that, I'm going to drive you home and tuck you in. No argument, Alexis."

"No argument, Jax." Alexis agreed wearily. She would be no good to anyone if she burnt herself out. And she was bone-tired, there was no denying that. "But what about your car? How will you get back"

"I came with Mason Lane. When he learned I was looking for you, he insisted on coming." Jax deposited her in the car. "I think you just might have a new admirer on your hands. At the very least, a new friend. You can never have enough of those...friends, you know."

Alexis smiled, knowing Jax was still looking out for her. He wouldn't come right out and denouce Sonny in the midst of this situation, but he couldn't resist promoting an alternative. "I have you Jax... and I count you among my best friends. And that's a very short list."

"And I feel privileged beyond words to be on it." Jax bent down and brushed his lips against her cheek. "Now be a love and sit right here until I get back."

"Trust me, I won't move a muscle." Alexis saiid. She settled back in the car seat and closed her eyes as she let her head lean back against the headrest. Honestly, Alexis thought, she couldn't do anything strenous if she tried. She said a silent prayer for Sonny.. and even for Carly.   
Whatever their issues, she'd never wished the other woman dead. Her son needed her. And Sonny? Whatever else was ended between them, Carly was the mother of Sonny's children, one living and one dead. There were ties there that would never be broken. And if she died, there would be pain there for Sonny that would never end.

"Please God..." she whispered aloud. "Spare him any more pain..."

As tired as she was, her mind refused to turn off. Her thoughts turned to the legal strategems she was building against AJ Quartermaine. He hadn't made any overt moves as yet, but she was sure that it was only a matter of time before he did.

Before she could formulate her thoughts, a voice calling her name interrupted her.

"Alexis?"

She opened her eyes to see Mason Lane standing before her. "How are you, Alexis?"

"I've had better days." Alexis said.

"I'm sure you have." Mason said. "I saw you standing with Sonny Corinthos earlier. It looked like a private moment, so I didn't want to intrude. I guess you have more than a lawyer/client relationship with him after all?"

"Yes, I count Sonny Corinthos as one of my friends, strange as it may seem." Alexis snapped at him, then reminded herself that she was very tired and probably was over-reacting to his innocent question. When she continued, her voice was quieter. "And a friend shouldn't be alone at a time like this."

"Not so strange...I think Mr. Corinthos is a very lucky man if he is able to count you as a friend." Mason said. He hesitated."I was friends of a sort with Carly Corinthos. I was very shocked and saddened to hear about her accident. I understand she and Sonny have a son?"

"Yes, Sonny adopted her son a little while back."

"Well, that's good that the boy still has one parent."

"No one has given up hope yet." Alexis said sharply, even though his words echoed her own thoughts.

"Of course, that was thoughtless of me." Mason apologized at once. "I only meant to offer you whatever comfort I can."

"I understand, Mason. Thank you for your concern. I do appreciate it."

Mason glanced up. "Here comes Jax, to drive you home. Get some rest, Alexis. You'll be no good to your friend if you wear you collapse from exhaustion. And if there is anything at all that I can do for you - " and he handed her his card - "Please, do not hesitate to call me. For anything."

Alexis slipped his card into her purse. "Thank you, Mason. I certainly will."

Jax returned with a thermos of steaming tea and a sandwich. They said their goodbyes to Mason and left. While Jax drove her home, he filled her in on the updates, which were meager and grim, while Alexis drank the tea and nibbled at the sandwich. She really had no appetite but the hot honey-sweetened drink did a lot to restore her. She filled Jax in on the situation with AJ, Sonny and Michael and her own efforts to thwart any possible custody battle. It was her way of contributing..

"We're all hoping that this turns out well." Jax said, as they rode up in the elevator, although his tone of voice showed that he like, almost everyone else, had begun to give up hope of finding Carly alive. "And I'm sure that Carly will appreciate your efforts to help."

Alexis quirked an eyebrow at Jax. "This is Carly we're talking about, remember?"

"True enough." Jax said, and laughed briefly. "Well, I'll make sure to tell her what you've done on Michael's behalf and I'll be appreciative enough for the both of us, how about that?"  
  
"That will be just fine." Alexis said. They arrived at the penthouse level. Alexis paused to ask Max who was on duty if Sonny had returned home yet and got a negative answer.

"The food you ordered arrived and waiting for him, and Johnny is with him, Ms. Davis. He'll look out for him." All of Sonny's personal guards knew of Alexis' concern for Sonny - and approved.

"Thank you, Max."

"Yes, thank you, Max." Jax said. He walked Alexis to her door. "Now is it necessary that I come in and tuck you into bed like a good little girl to make sure you get your rest?.

No Jax, believe me. I'm going straight up, change out of these clothes and crawl very gratefully into my bed."

"Good. I'll call you in the morning. Think about breakfast."

"I will. I promise." Alexis opened her door and stepped inside. She raised herself up and kissed Jax on the cheek. "Have I thanked you today for looking out for me?"

"No need for thanks, you know that right?"

"Right." Alexis smiled - and yawned..

" See.. go upstairs and go to sleep. Take care of youself - and him." Jax jerked his head in the direction of Sonny's door.


	43. Discovery

Discovery

Alexis saw Sonny only briefly the next day before he left the penthouse, but his quiet desperation had infected her as well. While down at the PCPD, on other business, she'd overheard Detective Taggert as he recieved one of several tips on Carly. Foolishly perhaps, she'd taken it upon herslef to follow it and found herself alone in a tenement building. Confronted by a woman that had resembled Carly from the back, the situation had quickly gone from bad to worse as she was joined by her belligerent partner. Only Sonny's sudden appearance had kept things from turning dangerous.

"What were you thinking?" he'd said.

"I wasn't." she'd admitted. "But I couldnt just sit by the phone - I just couldn't. She's out there somewhere, she's missing, and I know what she means to you." Alexis took a deep breath. "...and I'm your friend. I wanted to help"

"But this is not the way to do it." Sonny had said. His eyes were tired, but unwavering as they fastened on hers. "Carly is coming back. And I'm going through a lot of stuff, but I can't lose you too."

They returned to his penthouse.

"Do you think she's alive?" Sonny asked.

"I believe in miracles, Sonny. They do happen."

"But you didn't answer my question. I told you that Michael saw his mother. People think I'm in denial... both Bobbie and me."

Alexis looked at him. "All I know is that someone I care very much about is in unbearable pain. And if he hasn't given up hope, than neither can I."   
  
Wordlessly Sonny reached out a hand to her and she took it. He held on as though the touch of her hand was like a lifeline keeping him afloat. After a long moment, he let go and began pacing across the room. "Maybe I should make some coffee before I go out again."

"Maybe you should try and get some rest before you go out again. When is the last time you got any sleep?" Alexis asked him gently.

Sonny shrugged in reply. "I don't know. I catch a few hours here and there, but I can't sleep, not really. There's so much going on." He ran his fingers through his hair. "Besides Carly being missing, there's Michael. I don't know what to tell him aboout his mother not coming home yet, but he knows something is wrong. And the last time I went to see him, Bobbie told me that AJ had been there. I know that he's planning something. He's just waiting to hear that.... that Carly isn't coming back and he'll make a move for Michael and for getting the adoption overturned."

"I won't let that happen, Sonny." Alexis began pacing herself. This much she could do for him. "I'll map out any possible strategies any lawyer he hires could think of and have countermeasures ready to go against all of them."

Sonny sank down onto the couch, lowering his head heavily into his hands. He was tired - so tired. He really didn't know the last time he'd slept soundly. "She shouldn't have been out driving. Carly's afraid to drive. What was she doing out at night alone?"

When Alexis didn't answer him, he rasied his head. Alexis was standing by the other end of the couch, staring down at the floor. "Alexis?"

Silently she stooped down and reached for something on the floor between the couch and the sofa table perched directly behind it. She lifted up the piece of paper covered with childish scrawlings. "Sonny?"

Sonny stood and took it from her."It's..it's a birthday card. From Michael."

Alexis' voice dropped to a half-whisper. "How did it get here?"

"Carly.." Sonny's voice choked. "Carly must have dropped it off." His eyes looked into Alexis' with fresh anguish. "The night of the accident. Carly was _here._"

"Her staff said she left the club a little early. Zander said he saw her the night we were together."

"Do you think she saw us?" Alexis asked, willing it not to be true. "She was here. Oh God, she was here.... and we never knew it."

Sonny stood. "I'm going to get some answers." He turned to Alexis. "I can't believe this is happening.." he said in a broken voice. And then, as though he didn't trust himself to speak further, Sonny turned away from her and left the penthouse.

Alexis sat down heavily. "I can't believe it's happening either." she whispered into the empty air.


	44. Promises Given

**CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR  
Promises Given**  
  
A few mornings later, Alexis was sitting in her dining room, finishing her coffee as Kristina cleared the table away from their breakfast.  
  
"You need to eat more, Alexis," her sister scolded her.  
  
"I know, Kristina. It really was delicious, but I just don't have much of an appetite lately."  
  
Kristina took the dishes into the kitchen, then came back and sat down at the table with her and took Alexis' hand. "I know why. You've been worried about Sonny ever since the car accident with Carly. But if you deplete your own energies, you'll be of no help to Sonny at all either."  
  
"I'm of no help to him now. Other than ensuring that AJ doesn't try anything underhanded and try and steal Michael away." Alexis said, sighing heavily. She paused, not used to sharing her inner feelings. "He's frozen me out. He won't let me in to share his pain."  
  
"My guess would be is that he's trying to protect you form enduring the same pain he's feeling. Sonny is very protective of you, Alexis, in case you hadn't noticed. From the very first night when I met him in Ned's cottage after Helena had kidnapped you, he's been that way. He barely registered anyone else in the room that night."  
  
Somehow Kristina's words gave Alexis some hope and she said so.  
  
"Remember how he came after you as soon as he found out you'd gone out looking for clues about Carly on your own?" Her face still mirrored disapproval at Alexis' unthinking actions.  
  
"Enough already, I got the lecture from both you and Sonny of the errors of my ways... more times then I care to recollect."  
  
"Good. So I won't have to repeat myself again. My point this time, though, is that Sonny came after you without a moment's hesitation. I remember the first time I met him – after Helena had kidnapped you and we were all at Ned's cottage. He walked in and went straight to you as though no one else in the room was even there. Both times, his first thoughts, his first instincts was to keep you safe, and I'd bet my crystals that this is exactly what he's doing now."  
  
Alexis couldn't help but remember either, and how she had fantasized that it was Sonny who had come to rescue her. And then he had taken her right out from under Ned and Jax's noses. How he had known what she needed – not a party, but to a chance to release her fear. She'd smashed several objects in the apartment until she'd been able to admit her fears in a storm of tears. She closed her eyes for a moment and could feel the strength of his arms around her.  
  
"You remember that night too." Kristina said with an understanding smile. "I see him differently when he's around you than from when he's out there in the world being Sonny Corinthos. He wouldn't do anything to hurt you - he wouldn't – won't - let anything hurt you. Not even himself."  
  
"So what do I do?" she asked."If he's protecting me from himself, how do I protect him?"  
  
"Exactly what you are doing... keep caring for him... keep looking out for his best interests the way that only YOU can." Kristina answered. "Don't argue with him about the guards that he's put on us..."  
  
"You don't mind? You hated it when Stefan wanted to assign you a bodyguard."  
  
"That was just about me being some so-called Cassidine princess. I understand where it's coming from this time and it's different. Sonny feels an almost irrational desire to protect you, especially after what happened to Carly. And by extension, since you mean so much to him, that also means by extension, means protecting me, so I've decided not to fight Sonny on this the way I did Stefan. Can't you see how different it is? If it gives Sonny a sort of comfort to protect us, while he's going thorough this, then it's the least I can do. And he hasn't frozen you out – at least not on purpose. Sonny has to come to terms with his loss -"  
  
"He doesn't believe that Carly is dead."  
  
"Yet." Kristina said. "And so he needs to deal with that, and as much as he shares himself with you... there are still parts of him that he can't share. Yet. Just give him time and a little space while he comes to grips with the fact that Carly is probably dead, Alexis. That's what he needs now. When he can, he will come to you. He cares about you too much to stay away long."  
  
Alexis stood up. "When did you get to be so wise?" she said to Kristina with a smile.  
  
"I don't know. When I found out I had a big sister who needed me to be." Kristina answered.  
  
"Well, promise me that you'll keep on doing exactly that. I guess sometimes I need taking care of.."  
  
"That's a promise that will be easy to keep."  
  
Alexis sighed. "Okay, we've had our bonding moment," she said dryly. "And now I'd better go down to the office. I'm sure I have some work that needs tending to."  
  
"And we'll meet for lunch?"  
  
"Is that your not-so-subtle-way of making sure that I actually eat lunch?"  
  
"Subtle? Me?"  
  
"Not-subtle. You." Alexis hugged Kristina impulsively. "Have I told you lately how very very glad I am to have you in my life?"  
  
"Not nearly enough." Kristina said, hugging her back.  
  
Alexis gathered her things into her briefcase and headed out the door. Johnny was across the hall on guard as usual. Involuntarily, Alexis' eyes went to the closed door then back to the bodyguard.  
"How is he?" she asked softly.  
  
"Quiet." Johnny replied. "I don't know if it's a good thing or not." He hesitated, as if debating with himself for a moment, and then made a decision and spoke. "He hasn't torn the place apart, so I guess it's good. But the other guys say they hear him up at all hours of the night."  
  
The worry in Alexis' eyes was suddenly mirrored in Johnny's.  
  
"If anything develops..." Alexis began. "If anything happens to him...'  
  
"Don't worry, Ms. Davis..."  
  
"Johnny – please – call me Alexis. We're way past the Ms. Davis part, I think... It's just that I'm worried about him..."  
  
He hesitated for a split second. "All right - Alexis - if anything changes... know that you'll be the first person I call," Johnny promised before Alexis could finish her sentence.  
  
"Thank you, Johnny." Involuntarily her eyes went back to Sonny's door. She wanted to go to him with everything in her, but at the same time, she knew she had to respect his own needs. In many areas, Sonny was a private person. Just as much as she was, and there was no way she couldn't respect that, because she understood it all too well.  
  
Johnny's eyes flickered toward the door as though he'd heard something. He straightened suddenly, a millisecond before the door opened.  
  
"Sonny?" He looked tired. As though he hadn't slept in weeks, although it had only been a few days since Carly had disappeared. There were dark shadows under his eyes. As usual, he was dressed and impeccably tailored, but there was a laxness in spirit that hung in his eyes that Alexis didn't in." He opened the door a little wider for her to enter.  
  
As the door closed behind her, Alexis turned to face him. Before she could speak, Sonny was taking the briefcase from her hand and wordlessly pulled her into a close embrace. His arms tightened around her even as his lips were seeking hers. The intensity of his embrace and then his kiss swept both of their senses away. They stood for a long time like this, not talking, only holding one another, their lips saying all they needed to say without speaking.  
  
Finally they separated. "How are you, Sonny?" Alexis asked, even as her fingers caressed his face gently, as though trying to smooth away the pain she saw etched into his features.  
  
"We're expanding the radius of the search." Sonny answered. He moved away from her, as though mention of the search had brought Carly into the room and left her standing between them. "Your nephew and Jax have both offered to add to my men with people of their own. I decided to take them both up on it."  
  
"I'm sure both Jax and Nikolas are happy to help. I believe that Jax has actually become fond of Carly. He can't wait to get her back running the club. He never was one to be bogged down by day-to-day routines." Alexis said, trying to lighten his mood. "He's said more than once, that Carly has shown an amazing flair for the business."  
  
"Both Jax and Nikolas care because it matters to you." Sonny had crossed the room to glance out of the window to the balcony. Now he turned back to her. "I care too Alexis...and I'm sorry this is happening now. Especially now."  
  
"It's a horrible thing to happen at any time, Sonny. Carly and I never got along, and probably never will, but I would have never wished this on her in a million years."  
  
"Neither would I." Sonny went to the couch and sat down heavily, as though the weight of the world weighed him down. "I wanted to be free of her, but I never meant to hurt her... not like this. I wanted her out of my life... I wanted you in it. But this is not what I wanted at all. And now I've destroyed her life." He raised an anguished gaze to hers. "I don't want to destroy yours too."  
  
Alexis went to him. Sitting beside him, she took his hand. He gripped it with an iron-hard grasp. "How could you, Sonny?"  
  
"I'm selfish, Alexis. I've always been a selfish S.O.B. That night, the night we made love for the very first time; I was the one who took it to the next level. It wasn't enough that you saved my life – literally. I couldn't see what killing A.J would really do to me. But you did, didn't you? You begged me not to go through with the hit – not for your sake, or even for AJ's. But for me. But I couldn't leave that alone and be thankful for that. I wanted more. And I wanted it right then and there. Because it was what I wanted. Right then, right then and there... I wanted you. I needed you. And I didn't think about anything else." His voice turned hard and bitter and was full of self-loathing. "Typical me."  
  
"I knew what I was doing, Sonny. You gave me the choice to walk out that door. And I didn't."  
  
"But maybe we should have waited. Maybe you should have walked out of that door. Maybe I should have made sure that Carly understand that we were totally over and there was no going back. And maybe she wouldn't have come to the penthouse that night.  
"And besides, that wasn't the way I wanted it to be for us. Not the first time – or any time. I – I wanted more for you... I used to...dream. About the first time I would be with you."  
  
"You did?" The question slipped out in spite of herself.  
  
Sonny smiled, but a tinge of sadness shadowed it. "Ever since that night at the club when we danced, I knew how much I wanted to be with you. When we were dancing under the soft lights, I was thinking of dancing with you under a tropical moon, of making love with you somewhere far away from here, away from everything and everyone. Where none of this could touch us. We almost had it..."  
  
His voice broke the tiniest bit with all that he was feeling, and the feeling, shared by the two of them, took her heart along with it. "...And I ruined it. The way I ruin everything I touch and everything that touches my life." He let go of Alexis' hand and stared at his hands, seeing the blood on them that Alexis could never envisage. "I can't let that happen to you, Alexis."  
  
"No!" Alexis reached out and took both of his hands in hers. "It won't happen to me – to us. I don't know how we happened, Sonny. But it's right... you and me, somehow, we fit, like two halves of a whole. You didn't destroy my life, Sonny. You brought me to life.You brought something into my life that I have never experienced before. A man who saw me, flaws and all, and accepted me unconditionally. You never judged me and never tried to mold me into what you thought I needed to be..."  
  
"How could I?" Sonny said, momentarily confused..." Mold you into what? Just the way you are, you're everything I need..."  
  
"And so are you to me...See? The empty parts of me, you fill. And it's the same for you. Apart, we're lesser than when we are together. How could that ever destroy us?"  
  
Sonny still holding her hands, raised them to his lips and kissed them gently. "You don't understand, Alexis," he said, looking up at her. "You bring out the better man in me. That man only lives when you're around. But that's not the whole me. There are parts of me that you've never seen. Parts of me that are buried deep inside, and those pieces of me are so dark, and so cold that I can't even stand it, thinking about you having to ever see that part of me. That's the part of me you don't know... and that's the part of me that could destroy you."  
  
The look in his eyes was determined and totally unyielding, and tormented. Alexis could see that Sonny believed every word he said and she didn't know how to convince him otherwise. She remembered what Kristina said about just giving Sonny space and time. In hope of that, she laid her head on his shoulder.  
  
"This is all going to turn out right, Sonny. We're going to be all right. We'll have that night in the islands, I promise you. We will be together, away from everything and everyone, just like you want. And we can dance all night, if you want."  
  
Sonny shifted, his arms going around her to hold her close. Somehow, her head slipped down to his chest, where she could feel the beat of his heart, feeling it slow from agitation towards calmness. She felt him as he bent to her and caressed her hair with a brush of his lips.  
  
"Is that a promise, Alexis?"  
  
"Shhh....can't you hear the music, Sonny?" Alexis said, her voice dropping to a heartfelt whisper. "I'm in your arms, and I'm in yours... holding you close and nothing exists except you and I and the music...if you close your eyes and just listen, we can just dance the night away...just you and me..."  
  
After a long quiet moment, she could feel Sonny begin to rock her gently in his arms. Alexis closed her eyes, knowing somehow that Sonny had done the same. For this moment in time, they were alone, and nothing outside this room existed. All of their cares and fears were banished, and nothing else existed except the feelings flowing strong and sure between the two of them.  
  
"I can smell the ocean and the night-blooming flowers, and most of all, there is the scent of you." Alexis said  
  
"The music I hear is our hearts beating together." Sonny answered.  
  
Alexis lifted her head to look into his eyes, even as her hand moved to lay itself over his heart. "Yes, Sonny. The music of our hearts is all the music we need."  
  
"I wish we were alone right now." Sonny said, lifting a hand to stroke her hair back from Alexis' face. His fingertips traced their way across her cheek and drifted down to touch her lips lightly. Alexis kissed their tips and then drew his lips to hers.  
  
Almost simultaneously, their cell phones rang. Reluctantly, they draw apart. For Sonny, it was news that the searchers were assembled and about to expand into the new expanded search area. For Alexis it was a call from a family court judge she'd had a meeting with a little later, saying that he had an unexpected opening now and would see her. She hurries to assure him that she would be there. Alexis covers the receiver with her hand. "I don't have to go." She said.  
  
Sonny shook his head. "I have to be at the site while they look. And then I have to go and see Michael. He's still asking for his mom, and Bobbie and I haven't decided what to tell him. What you're doing at least keeps me assured that he'll stay with Bobbie, where he belongs... unless... unless he has to come live with me." That hurt feeling came over his face again.  
  
"Come on, I'll walk you out." Sonny said. They rode down to the garage together. Just before the elevator doors opened, Sony reached out and gave her hand a soft squeeze. They smiled at one another as Sonny walked her to the car.  
  
Alexis got in and Sonny leaned down to talk to her through the window. "Thanks for not saying much for the bodyguards." Sonny said to her. His hand rested on the window and Alexis covered it with her own.  
  
"I know it makes you feel better to know that you've got someone keeping an eye on me. So this one – you win."  
  
"That's my girl." Sonny said. He smiled, and Alexis caught a glimpse of his old self.  
  
Alexis smiled up at him. "You take care of me, and I take care of you. That's the way it works from now on, Sonny."  
  
"That's been happening for a long time now, but I like the sound of it anyway." Sonny answered. "Take care of me all you like, Counselor." A hint of his old spark came back into his eyes and he smiled at her, his dimples enchanting her all over again.  
  
"I intend to do exactly that." Alexis answered him, with a flash of her own dimples showing. She drove off, and in spite of their troubles, her spirits felt lifted, almost relieved. Alexis was suddenly feeling a lot better than she had in what felt like a long time. 


	45. Conversation, Complications and Conseque...

**CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE  
Conversations, Complications and Consequences**  
  
Alexis met Kristina for lunch and for a surprise, she had invited Jax. "And remember, no fussing. We will have a pleasant lunch, engage in totally idle chit chat and have fun." She ordered.  
  
Amen to that, Alexis thought to herself, even while they were all studying the menu. Try as she might, she couldn't get her thoughts off of Carly. If she hadn't gotten it into her head to just walk into Sonny's apartment, she would have never had been there the night she and Sonny had made love, and would have never gone flying in a rage out into the night.  
  
Alexis had talked to Zander earlier today and had learned from him that in typical Carly fashion, she'd gone running to him with every intention of seducing Zander, but then had opened her mouth in the midst of the act, damning her and Sonny. Zander hadn't taken too kindly to the idea of being used as either a substitute or a weapon for revenge and had thrown her very rudely out of his bed and his room. That had probably been the last straw for Carly. But Sonny still thought it was all his fault that Carly had gone racing off into the night in her car. The truth was, it was all Carly's doing. Just as Jax had said, as soon as she got an idea in her head, she acted on it, without stopping to think about the consequences of her actions.  
  
Alexis sighed out loud.  
  
"Anything you want to share, Alexis?" Jax asked.  
  
Kristina looked from Jax to Alexis, a small frown of anxiousness on her face. She didn't want this to turn disagreeable.  
  
"Nothing really, "Alexis said. She lifted one hand in the air. "Just ... circumstances. The whole situation with Sonny and... Carly."  
  
"I know that this – situation - is something that concerns you, and that makes me concerned." Jax said. He reached out and took Alexis' hand. "I've got no love for Corinthos, but even I wouldn't wish this on him. Or Carly.  
"I know you two never really got along, and I can see why... but away from Corinthos, she actually has a few good qualities."  
  
"You're singing her praises?" Alexis lifted a finely shaped eyebrow.  
  
"Hardly that." Jax answered. "But working with her, I've come to realize a great deal about what makes Caroline Benson Spenser Quartermaine Corinthos tick."  
  
"She's the ex-Mrs.Quartermaine-Corinthos on both counts." Alexis reminded him.  
  
"Now, now, Alexis." Jax teased her. "Let's not be petty, shall we? As an ex-wife yourself, where's your sympathy?"  
  
"You're about to sing me the praises of Carly and you use the word 'petty' in reference to me?" Alexis quipped back. "Speaking of ex-wives, if this continues, this ex-wife may have to revise my alimony arrangements."  
  
"There were no alimony arrangements."  
  
"Exactly." Alexis replied with a mock ominous tone in her voice, and then they all laughed.  
  
"Carly is not without her faults." Jax began. He was answered by a very unlady-like snort from Alexis and another outright laugh from Kristina, but continued on nevertheless. "But she has grit and determination. And passion for what she believes in. Channeled in the right direction, those are very productive traits."  
  
"So now you've volunteered to become her mentor? I wondered why you agreed to partner with her in this club thing to begin with."  
  
"She wanted to build a life away from Sonny. I admit it, I was all too willing to help." He looked directly at Alexis. "Getting caught in his web is the worse thing that can happen to a woman. He swallows them whole and leaves them with nothing."  
  
"A woman who doesn't know herself, perhaps, Jax." Alexis said. "I can see where a woman without a strong sense of herself could become riddle with so much insecurity dealing with a man like Sonny, that it could become detrimental to her. But that won't happen to me. First of all, I know exactly who and what I am – faults and all; and I accept them. Secondly, Sonny and I are friends – true friends. I think sometimes, that I am the first woman friend that Sonny has ever had in his adult life. And for the record, I've seen how he treats those he doesn't respect."  
  
"Like me?" Jax asked innocently. Well, as innocently as he could manage and keep a somewhat straight face.  
  
"I plead the fifth." Alexis said. "At any rate, I have never expected that behavior from him and have never allowed it on the rare occasion when that part of his nature has attempted to raise its ugly head."  
  
"He didn't respect Carly. Honestly, I don't think he ever did, despite the fact that he did love her. Which leads me to wonder just what kind of love can survive when there is no trust or respect. But in true Carly fashion, when she saw that Sonny gave me the respect ant trust that she felt should have been exclusively hers, she retaliated."  
  
A sudden thought came to mind. "Do you think that Carly could have set all of this up somehow?"  
  
"Stage her own death to hurt Sonny?" Kristina asked, stunned by the implications. How could one soul do that to another?"  
  
"Do you really think that Carly would do that to Sonny?" Jax asked.  
  
"She turned him into the FBI, Jax." Knowing what she did about Sonny, it was that one act that had hardened her heart against Carly. How could she have been married to the man and not understand that most basic thing about him?  
  
"She told the Quatermaines that Jason kidnapped her child. And she set up AJ Quartermaine by drugging him and making him believe that he'd fallen back into alcoholism so that he'd leave town. She came to town to destroy her birth mother, and she played a major part in destroying Bobbie's marriage. In the end, her actions even drove Tony Jones crazy. After all that, there's not much I wouldn't put past Carly. She never thinks of the consequences of her actions. Only the results."  
  
"But she has a child, a mother that's holding on to hope of seeing her daughter again. Would Carly really put them through this just to get back at Sonny? I find that hard to believe, but I'll put some people on it to check out the possibility." Jax said, his expression still bemused by the thought. "But back to Sonny, I don't want to see you end up in the same place, Carly or Brenda did, Alexis."  
  
"It won't. I wouldn't allow it, even if Sonny were inclined to try it. Which he is not." Alexis said firmly.  
  
"I'm glad to hear that, although I'm not surprised."  
  
"That much is true," Kristina said. "Sonny is an absolute gentleman when it comes to Alexis. Always."  
  
"Corinthos... a gentleman. It boggles the mind." Jax said. "So now you're friends, you and he. Can I ask just how close of a friendship has developed between you two?" He didn't miss how Kristina eyes suddenly dropped away from his, or the slight flush that climbed into Alexis' face. His lips quirked into an odd smile. "Pleading the fifth again?"  
  
Jax's bright blue gaze studied Alexis intently. "I'm not trying to pry into your private life. I just don't want you to become a casualty to Sonny's ego and issues. You have to know that that's a huge part of the man. He's a complication you don't need."  
  
"But there are other parts of Sonny that you have never been allowed to see." Alexis answered. "He needs someone to be there for him, Jax."  
  
"He needs Alexis, Jax." Kristina asserted. "Believe me, he does. More than he even knows."  
  
Both Alexis and Jax looked at Kristina in surprise. Before anyone else could speak, a cell phone shrilled. It was Jax's. He apologized as he stood up and stepped away from the table to take the call.  
  
"What was that supposed to mean, Kristina?" Alexis asked. "I don't need Jax knowing anything about Sonny and I. He cares too much to just let that bit of information go by without a fight."  
  
"I didn't tell anything but the truth. He needs you as friend first and foremost. and whatever else you choose to be for him. And Jax doesn't need to know that. I have no intention of telling him anything, Alexis. I'll leave that to you, to tell your friend in a time and place of your choosing. You care too much about Jax to lie to his face, don't you?"  
  
"I hate it when you're right. But it isn't something he needs to know right now. There's just too much going on right now, and I can't deal with the complications that will surely come about if Jax learns that Sonny and I have taken our friendship to a whole new level. There's the complication that I don't need. And truthfully, I really don't know what's going on there right now." Alexis said. Before Kristina could answer that, Alexis noticed, gratefully, that Jax was coming back to the table.  
  
She turned in her seat as Jax rejoined them. "That was quick, must have been only a minor company raid instead of a world-wide conglomerate take- over."  
  
Jax found it hard to meet Alexis' eyes, even hard to tell her the news. "That was one of the leaders of my search group. A body's been found in the lake. Unidentified for now...but it was definitely a woman. A woman with blonde hair." 


	46. Brotherly Love

**CHAPTER FORTY-SIX  
****Brotherly Love**

After lunch, Kristina headed back to L&B and Alexis back to her office, her mind whirling at the implications of Jax's news. She'd tried to reach Sonny by cell phone while she was driving back to work. That had resulted in a very terse conversation. Sonny was still in denial; and Alexis, sensing his inner turmoil, wouldn't push the issue. Until a DNA test was run, he insisted that there was no proof that the body was Carly. Michael had told him that his mommy had come to him. Alexis didn't question Sonny or try and force him to see how senseless it was to believe that Michael had seen what he said he saw. Instead, she just let him talk.

Alexis came to a decision; she'd stop at the office, pick up some of the work she been compiling in the custody battle and take it home with her to complete. This way she'd be close, in case the news turned out to be the worst possible – and Sonny needed her. There isn't much she can do, Alexis thought, but surely one of the best things she can do for Sonny is to ensure that there are no legal surprises that AJ can pull to steal Michael away from the father that he knows. _If only Carly hadn't have barged into Sonny's penthouse. None of this would be happening at all...We could all be getting on with our lives..._

A spark of resentment flared up in her, burning white hot. Why did Carly have to come to the penthouse that night? Everything she touches, she contaminates. What should have been a glorious beginning would now be forever tinged by sadness.. because of Carly and yet another one of her thoughtless acts.

Alexis knew that she should be feeling sorry, and indeed, a part of her was. Sorry for her son, sorry for her mother, sorry most of all for Sonny, knowing him as she did. Never mind that Carly had no business coming to the penthouse that night, and forget that she had had even less right to step foot in the place, let alone come up the stairs to his bedroom, Sonny was blaming her accident on himself.

The jumble of emotions left her sharp-tempered as she drove to her office. She was in no mood to be here. It was a good idea she'd planned to work from home; she'd be little use to any clients in her present mood. Arriving at her office, her secretary informed her that she had a visitor.

"He insisted on waiting in your office, Ms. Davis." She informed Alexis, with more than a touch of annoyance in her voice. "I tried to keep him out here, but he wouldn't hear of it."

Nerves already on edge, sparks of anger fueled her steps as Alexis walked into her office, wondering who would dare impose themselves on her in such a manner. She was in no mood for either obstinate or demanding, arrogant clients, and whoever had dared breached her inner sanctum without her permission was about to discover that.

Of course, that included everyone except her brother.

Always handsome, always _regal_, even in repose, Stefan stood by the windows, lost in his own thoughts, his tawny, deep gold hair catching the late afternoon light with the sheen of old gold. Stefan turned away from the narrow casements of her office windows, where he had been perusing the Port Charles skyline. Against the deep blue draperies and the rich sable brown leathers of the office accessories, he looked every inch like the prince he was in reality.

"Alexis." The rich timbre of his voice that was the same strong comforting voice of her childhood steadied her, as it had always had the power to do.

"Stefan." Despite her thoughts, her lips curved into a smile and her sudden displeasure fell away as though it had never been. "It's wonderful to see you."

Brother and sister moved quickly towards each other and gave one another a brief but heartfelt embrace. Alexis pulled back slightly, cocking her head to one side – a quirk held over from her childhood and still manifested itself occasionally only around Stefan. Alexis hadn't even realized that she'd done it until she saw Stefan's indulgent smile. "You might have told me you were coming to Port Charles."

"I had some contracts to go over with Nikolas, and instead of having them messengered, I had a sudden impulse to deliver them in person." Which was as close as Stefan would come to saying he missed them. "I thought I'd perhaps run a quick in-depths on-site analysis of our holdings..."

"...And check up on Nikolas, Kristina and I. It's all right to admit to a need to be with your family, Stefan." Alexis reminded him.

"It is no small responsibility to lay the care of the family on your shoulders, Alexis." Stefan said. "While I handle the day to day business running, you have become the heart of this family."He paused a moment. "I haven't had much experience in needing family, as well you know." With their family history, that wasn't surprising in the least. "Helena would hardly approve of our roles."

"Who cares?" Alexis said. "She's never approved of my very existence, let alone your championship of me." She held his hands and squeezed them affectionately. "I've always been very thankful for that." Alexis added softly.

"I've always cared about you, Alexis." Stefan told her. He studied her face carefully. "And as you've exposed my concern for the family, I will not lie further. Looking at you, I can see something is not quite right with you. Perhaps that is what I sensed, and that is what brought me back to Port Charles sooner than I had planned."

At Alexis' gesture, they moved to sit on the small leather couch that sat against one wall of her oak-paneled office. Alexis explained the situation concerning Carly and Sonny. She didn't tell him the entire truth, of course. She didn't out and out lie to him, she couldn't do that, but neither could she find the words to explain the change in her life. So instead, Alexis told him the facts of the matter as dryly as possible, sorrowfully aware of what she was leaving out.

Stefan made the assumption she'd hoped he would. "As a friend, it's commendable that you care, but is it wise to associate with such a man? It's very possible that his ex-wife was the victim of a vendetta against her ex-husband. I wouldn't want your proximity to the man to put you in equal danger." Stefan frowned. "Perhaps it would be more prudent for you and Kristina to come live at Wyndemere for the time being."

"I'm perfectly content where I am." Alexis said. "And so is Kristina. There is sufficient security where I live. And most importantly, I need to be there for my friend. As you can imagine, there are not many people that are close to him. A sister, a father. A few loyal – associates. He needs all the people around him that care, especially at this time." She was aware of Stefan studying her closely, but forced herself to meet his gaze with an outward calm she certainly didn't feel.

"I can't say I approve – I know something of this Corinthos, and surely he cannot provide the level of protection that I - the family - can." Stefan began. Alexis braced herself for the lecture that was sure to come, but Stefan visibly checked himself and something in his gaze softened. "But I will not insist upon it."

"Thank you, Stefan." Alexis said, meaning it. "I need to be where I am right now."

"I told you that I will not insist upon it – for now. I will add that caveat." Stefan said. "You are a grown woman, Natasha, and have been for some time. I must accept that. But you must accept that I will always be prepared to act in your own best interests."

Alexis felt a stirring of guilt. But she couldn't explain the dance that she and Sonny were doing to herself, how in the world could she begin to explain it to her beloved half-brother? Try as he might to be otherwise, Stefan was very much a Cassidine man. Stubborn and intractable when he believed he was right. And if he thought that she and Sonny were romantically involved, he definitely would not approve at all. And there was no telling how Stefan would handle his disapproval. Or more truthfully, attempt to "handle" Sonny.

In spite of her worries, Alexis couldn't help but smile to herself. Not that Stefan would ever admit it, but he and Sonny were probably more alike than unalike. Strong, proud men, used to the rigors and demands of command, with an unconscious arrogance that drew the eye.

"You approve, then?" Stefan asked. She looked up to see a genial twinkle in his eye. Since he and Nikolas had reconciled their differences, Stefan had mellowed somewhat, had grown into the man that he had always aspired to be, freed at last from his murderous mother's influences.

"I approve." Alexis answered. "But then, when haven 't I?"

"Oh, I can think of a few times when we've – ah... disagreed." Stefan said. He chuckled dryly. There were definitely more than a few times when they hadn't agreed on things, had actually warred against one another, in true Cassidine form, but here they were, in the end, united as a family like they had never been before. Things were coming together for Alexis on so many levels now. She had family, she had – dare she hope - love.

Even with this tragedy facing she and Sonny, they'd get through it, Alexis thought, with a renewal of strength. The many storms they'd faced together had drawn them together and that was how they'd face this new challenge.

_They'd get through it. Together._


	47. Revelations

**CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN**

**Revelations**

Sonny stepped into the morgue. The cold, antiseptic air presses down on him, triggering his claustrophobia. The chemical scents in his nostrils are a stench that seems to permeate every fiber of his being and sends his stomach into upheaval. His gaze is cold and black, shuttered against the intrusion of any and all emotion. He nods once to the coroner.

The man slid the body draw open. He hesitated, and then drew the wrappings aside.

Sonny looked down. His eyes tried to focus but couldn't. What was in the body bag barely resembles a body. _ It- she - had been in the water for so long..._All he could see clearly was the tangle of blonde hair. The rest – his eyes refused to take in.

His senses swam and his insides revolted. Ice enveloped Sonny's mind and sheathed his soul as he stumbled from the room.

There was no getting around it. No more denying it. Carly was dead. Gone forever, leaving behind a son and a mother that grieved for her. And an ex-husband with her blood on his hands. It was his fault she was dead, after all.

Sonny jerked out of yet another nightmare, seeing Carly's body, face unrecognizable, bloated by the water that it was barely recognizable. He still couldn't accept that it was _her._ Only the length of blonde hair allowed him to even see that what he was looking at was even still human. The eyes had opened suddenly, and the shock had wrenched him into heart-pounding wakefulness. His heart tried to still it's frantic thumping and his body trembled with the effort.

_She's dead... she's dead... she's dead..._ The words resonated over and over in his soul and the guilt that rose up in him in response drove him from his bed.

_Carly was never coming back._ Because he hadn't been strong enough, because he hadn't been truthful enough, because he was who he was, Carly was never coming back to her son.  
  
_Never._

_And it was all his fault._

And now, today, he had to say goodbye. The arrangements had been made, announcements sent out, and now he had to go to a church, where God surely waited to mock him in his guilt and agony and force him to watch as they laid her body to rest.

_He lived on, but another one died for his sins._ _How stupid he had been to think that he had found a new peace and happiness just a few days ago. It was just a cruel twist of fate to give in one hand and then cruelly snatch it away with the other. This was his life. So it had always been, and so it would always be._

_Would there ever be rest for him again?_

_Ever?_

_  
_

Somehow, he made it to the church. Afterwards, Sonny never could remember exactly just how he'd gotten there. He couldn't remember anything about the drive, one moment in he was in the penthouse; he remembered Johnny being at the wheel of the limo as he climbed in, but that was all. The next thing he knew, he was walking into the church on wooden legs.

He was one of the first to arrive at the church. Carly's coffin, and her picture, lay at the end of the aisle, banked by clouds of flowers. Sonny walked heavily to the where the coffin lay. He glanced at her picture. In it, there was no guile, no hint of the schemes that could fill her eyes with a gleam. She might have been smiling at her son, for all the light and happiness in her face. And a stab of pain lanced through him. Sonny reached out and grasped a pew to steady himself against the unsteadiness that rocked his very core.

"Carly..." There was so much he wanted to say and no words at all. All he could do is promise silently that he would take care of her son.

Bobbie arrived, with her brother Luke at his side. The two men had gone their separate ways in the last few years, and Luke had never had much use for his niece once he'd discovered how she'd snuck into town and the schemes Carly had engineered against her own mother. Where Bobbie had at last forgiven her, Sonny doubted that Luke ever had. But in spite of all of that, somehow, he recognized the glint of sympathy in Luke's gaze as their eyes met.

And then all of a sudden, his own sister was standing there in front of him. Courtney didn't speak, but opened up her arms and hugged him fiercely. Something in him broke momentarily, cracked the façade of ice that had kept him able to go through the motions of living ever since he'd realized that Carly was dead.. As Courtney put her arms around him, his body leaned into hers slightly, needing the simplicity of another human's touch. Courtney seemed to understand all of this without speaking; she only held him tighter, willingly lending her strength to him.

As Courtney slipped away and took her seat, he was surprised to see that the church had filled up with people. Just as he turned, he saw Alexis and Kristina come in. There was a thaw in his heart as he saw her. Then they saw him and came up the aisle to greet him.

Kristina offered him her condolences, and then moved discretely away, giving Alexis and Sonny a moment of privacy.

"I thought you weren't coming?" Sonny asked.

Alexis looked down for a moment. "Carly and I were never friends, and I didn't want to be a hypocrite." She raised her eyes to meet his. "But how could I stay away when there was a chance that you might need me?"

Now it was Sonny's turn to look away for a moment. For a moment, the iciness in him had thawed just the tiniest bit. But only until a moment of painful clarity struck him.  
_Alexis couldn't see what kind of destruction he caused in people's lives. Anyone close to him paid. But never him. Oh no, never ever him. That was God again, mocking his prayers and punishing him by punishing those around him. And he, Sonny paid by having to watch those around him pay for his sins._

_He wanted to tell Alexis how badly he did need her, but the words wouldn't come. They couldn't. He didn't dare speak the words aloud. His thoughts were poison. He couldn't let her hear them. They would bring to her the same death and destruction that had come to so many others before her. The ones that had trusted him. Lily, his unborn children, and now Carly..._

_The coldness in his soul moved back into place – a glacier sized block of iciness and distance that enveloped him, that swallowed him whole. But one thought was clear. All he would do is bring the same destruction down on her that he had brought to Carly. _

And it came to Sonny in a sudden revelation, that before he'd hurt Alexis the same way – or worse – he would choose death for himself first. In the same instant, in his deepest heart, he swore it.

"Thank you for you coming." The words sounded flat. Inadequate, even to him, even through the frigid wall of numbness binding his mind, body and his soul in wintry despair. There was so much he had to thank her for... but now he didn't dare. His mind, numbed by these dark emotions, refused to work, caught up as it was in its own pain, it only knew that he had to protect her, and he could only do that by keeping silent. Words hurt. Words could kill. Sonny was brought to his knees, spiritually and mentally...there was no strength in him in this moment. Not even to just simply reach out to what he wanted most ...

He saw Alexis' painful reaction to the deadness in his voice. She covered the sting of his words well enough, Sonny thought. A blink, and it was gone. A flare of pain flickered and echoed within him at the sight of it. But better the smaller pain now, than a world of pain later, he told himself. He was saving her from himself.

Sonny watched silently as Alexis turned away from him sadly and made her way back to one of the rearmost pews. Despite the vow he'd made to himself, a dull ache surged hollowly through the glacial abyss inside of him. Sonny barely noticed Kristina as she cast a puzzled glance his way before following her sister.


	48. A Friend In Need

**CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT  
A Friend In Need**

"I shouldn't have come." Alexis had gone out into the vestibule of the church. Her eyes burned with unshed tears. She turned her head to glance back into the church, her eyes going straight to Sonny. He stood at Bobbie's side. He looked so tired, she thought with a pang of empathy. And he was shutting down, closing everyone and everything off. Carly's death had cost him so much.

She should have never come. Maybe her presence was just one more painful reminder of what the two of them had shared.

"Alexis, are you all right?" Kristina had come after her, of course.

"Me? I'm fine." Alexis answered. "The ones that are truly hurting are back in there." She gestured back into the church. "And I think I made a huge mistake in coming here."

"Sonny needs you..." Kristina started to say, but Alexis interrupted her.

"Did you see him just now? He doesn't need me. All I did by coming here, was to remind him of what he lost..."

Kristina took her by the shoulders gave her a little shake. "No, Alexis, that's totally untrue. He's grieving for Carly... true enough. He wouldn't be the man you love if he didn't mourn her. But she's his past."

"You don't understand..." Alexis began. She could never explain the depth of Sonny's emotions to anyone else. Or how much blame he's taken on himself as the cause of Carly's death.

"Of course I can't." Her eyes softened in compassion. "But I understand this much. Carly was his past, by his own choice. You're his future. He chose you, Alexis.  
"You've got to remember that and believe in it. Sonny needs time to accept her death. He never thought that their breakup would lead to Carly's death. Even though it didn't, I'd guess that this is what he's feeling right now. But who could have foreseen that happening? You have to be strong for him right now. Be still, if you have to, be silent, if you have to. But be strong, because you have to do that too. Sonny needs you to be."

Just as they turned to go back inside, Alexis spotted a familiar face. Jax was coming through the church doors, and directly behind him was Mason. Jax, Alexis and Kristina exchanged hugs. Mason waited and then shook Alexis' hand warmly.

"You're looking tired, Alexis." He said, a look of concern on his face.

"It's been a long day for a lot of people." Alexis answered. Jax slipped an arm around her and Alexis leaned gratefully against him.

"I'm glad to see so many people came out for Carly's memorial." Jax said. "She was a unique person. It's a shame she never found the chance to reach her full potential." His eyes hardened just a little. Then he looked down at Alexis. To one who knew her, Jax recognized the pain in her face that Mason had mistaken for fatigue.

Words burned on his lips. Words of anger and recriminations. Jax knew that Alexis was suffering, and more importantly he knew exactly why. She was hurting because of Corinthos. She'd allowed herself to get so close to the man that she was sharing his pain in purest empathy.

Somehow, Jax kept his anger under control. He wanted nothing more than to protect her from what he saw happening. Alexis' heart was so big, so full of feelings for others that it was no wonder she felt Corinthos' pain. But Sonny couldn't appreciate that. He wouldn't. He'd just use it to salve his own pain. But Jax kept quiet and didn't say any of the things he knew to be true. There was no way he would knowingly add to Alexis' pain, today of all days. But he was more determined than ever to get her away and out from under Corinthos' influence as soon as possible. But now was neither the time nor the place to begin. He was here to be whatever comfort he could to her.

Jax took her hand in his. "We're here to celebrate Carly's life. And it's surely a comfort to Bobbie to see so many remembering her." He said as he led them all inside.

With Jax on one side of her and Kristina on the other, Alexis felt infinitesimally better as they seated themselves in one of the rearmost pews. She was here, as much as she didn't want to be. And she'd stay to the end. Not for her sake, but for his.

The ceremony began. People stood, they spoke, but Alexis barely noticed what they said. Everything in her was focused on Sonny. In spite of the distance between them, she could sense the pain in him. He sat, his body too still, his eyes riveted on the coffin nestled in a thick, towering mass of flowers. _Breathe, Sonny. _Alexis said silently. She took a deep breath of her own, feeling the pain coming off of Sonny in waves of palpable anguish. Unconsciously, her body leaned forward slightly in her seat, as though she were reaching out to him.

Sonny, _just breathe..._

Finally, it was Bobbie's turn to speak. She walked to the podium and began to talk about her daughter. But before she could get more than a few words out, her voice choked. She swayed slightly and then suddenly; Sonny was at her side, supporting her. After a moment, Bobbie recovered, and then as she lifted her eyes, her face paled.

A split second later, there was a sudden murmur that moved through the church in an audible wave of shock. Alexis turned with the rest of the crowd and the world dropped out from under her feet. She knew that if she hadn't have been seated, she might have fallen from the shock.

Carly was standing in the doorway. Her gaze was as confused as the ones staring at her. She took a few hesitant steps into the church, walking unsteadily up the aisle. She halted halfway as she saw the coffin for the first time. Her eyes got even bigger in her face as she saw her own photograph staring back at her and realization flooded her face. She gasped, whirled around and fled from the building.

Pandemonium erupted in her wake. Everyone came to their feet at once, and Alexis along with them. Her first thought was of Sonny, and unerringly, her eyes picked him out. Wild-eyed with disbelief, he was fighting his way through the crowd. Another moment, and he had disappeared in the same direction Carly had fled.

------

Wrapped in mind-numbing despair, Sonny stared at the golden oak coffin before him. The scent of the masses of flowers surrounding it was cloying and oversweet, almost choking him. The small chapel wreaked havoc with his claustrophobia. Sonny felt as though he was barely able to breath; he was drowning, dying with the icy weight the guilt pressing down on him. It was as though the very air itself were pressing down on him from all sides and it was all that Sonny could do to remain in his seat.

Dimly, he was aware of a sense of relief that Michael wasn't here to see this. How could he make him understand that his mommy was never coming back? How was he going to tell him, he thought miserably.

Sonny would have given the world, his soul, anything to have another chance at making things right with Carly. She'd misunderstood his concern. When he'd shown an interest in her club, when he'd kept guards on her and Michael, she'd thought it meant that he still loved her the same way he'd always had. And Sonny hadn't realized it until too late what a mistake he'd made. What he wouldn't give for just another chance to make it all right.

The ceremony moved forward, but for Sonny, it all took place in another sort of haze... people got up to speak words of condolences or memories of Carly, came over to shake Bobbie's hand or hug her and offered their sympathies, but Sonny barely registered any of it, lost instead in the crushing cloud of guilt that enveloped him and swallowed him whole. To those around him, he appeared stone-cold and unemotional, his eyes black and stone-cold; but inside, where no one could see, Sonny was dying a small death of his own, drowning himself in a sea of agonizing guilt.

Finally it was Bobbie's turn to speak. She stepped up to the podium, tears glistening in her eyes as she looked out over the crowd. She tried to speak once, then again, but her voice failed her. The tears spilled over and down her cheeks as she finally succumbed to truth of it all – that her only daughter was dead. Sonny felt her pain; it was a physical thing, a sledgehammer of pain that crushed his chest with a series of savage blows. Without thinking, he went to her, one arm going around her to comfort and strengthen her.

There was a sound, an intake of breath that rippled through the entire church. Sonny raised his eyes just as Bobbie sagged against him in shock and disbelief.

"Car-Carly?" Bobbie whispered incredulously.

Sonny's heart pounded in shock and amazement. He was frozen at the sight, his senses unable to take in the sight of Carly standing in the doorway of the church, staring around as though she couldn't understand what she was seeing...oblivious to the fact that people were staring at her with the same shocked expression on their faces.

Was she real? Was this really happening? As he watched, the figure turned and ran. Unsure of anything anymore, oblivious to everything and everyone else, Sonny raced after her, unsure if he were pursuing a ghost, a dream or his own personal nightmare.


	49. A Friend In Deed

**CHAPTER FORTY-NINE  
A Friend In Deed **

Alexis was walking. For how long, or how far, she didn't know. The babble of incredulous voices in the church was thankfully long behind her, and it was all she could do to keep putting one foot in front of the other. And that seemed to be all that mattered for the moment. One foot, then the other. Keep moving. Running away from the miracle – or the incredible cosmic joke - that had just presented itself before her unbelieving eyes. 

How many times had she wished that Carly hadn't died? And now she hadn't. And Sonny had gone after her. _After her._

Alexis' mind shut down after that. It refused to think beyond that moment, indelibly and forever etched on her mind.

In the midst of all that chaos she walked out of the church, walked through the courtyard, walked out of the gates and down the roads, past the line of cars. Away from everyone and every thing and all her heart had known. If anyone had spoken to her, Alexis hadn't heard them, and if more than a few eyes turned her way, she didn't notice them either.

Her cell phone had shrilled from somewhere within her purse. She ignored it. After the third time, she reached in and thumbed the ringer off, not even bothering to see who the calls were from. She knew it wasn't from Sonny. So did it matter who else it was? Vaguely, she knew that it should, but it didn't.

Alexis didn't even realize when the tears had begun. Only they were there now, silent streamers of cold wetness trailing down her cheeks. Or was it the rain that had begun spilling from the sky? It was quickly turning from a light misting to a threatening downpour, but it didn't matter much. Her vision wavered and blurred, but that didn't matter either. All she saw was Carly running out of the church, and Sonny dashing after her. In her mind's eye, that scene played over and over again.

"Alexis_...Alexis!"_

It took a long moment before she registered the voice calling her name. Then a strong arm was coming around her shoulders, wrapping something around her. A man's coat, she recognized after a moment.

"Come, Alexis. Come out of the rain. Come out of the storm. It does no one any good, if you make yourself sick."

_What did it matter?" _She thought. But she allowed herself to be guided to the waiting car. Gentle hands sat her down and buckled her into the seat. She was too benumbed to do anything. Even thinking seemed beyond her ability at the moment.

"Is there somewhere in particular you'd like to go? Or we can stay right here until the rain stops. Whatever it is you want, Alexis."

After a long moment, her mind began to function again. "Kristina?"

"She's fine. Ned Ashton was there and he and Jax both promised to take care of her until you came home." Mason answered.

Alexis turned and looked at him. He was drenched of course, his dark chestnut hair plastered to his head, his very expensive suit almost certainly ruined. "Sorry"

He followed her gaze as she studied him and recognized her apology. Mason shook his head. "It's nothing. I just wanted to make sure that you were all right."

Alexis turned her head to look out of the car window. There was nothing much to see beyond the sheets of rain pouring down. "Do you make a habit of rescuing damsels in distress?"

"Not particularly, but I am partial to looking out after people I care about." Alexis turned to look sharply at him.  
"I've never tried to disguise the fact that I've wanted to get to know you better, Alexis. And I'm sure you can guess why." He held up both hands to stop her before she made an accusation that would hurt them both. "And no, I'm not trying to take advantage of an emotionally charged situation. I'm only trying to be your friend."

In her "emotionally charged" state, it would be all too easy to rail at him an accuse him of the very thing he's denying, Alexis' mind thought coolly. But what would it accomplish in the long run? She was aware of Mason studying her intently.

When he noticed her own regard, he changed the subject, his voice determinedly light. "That's one of things that fascinate me about you. Just a moment ago, you were ready to explode, then one can almost see the wheels turning as you thought yourself right out of your anger. Not many people can do that, you know."

"I've been told I think too much."

"Nonsense. It's a part of your charm." Mason turned the key in the ignition. "Now, what is it, m'lady requires? What do you need?"

"A friend." Lexis said, and sighed. "And you seem to be fulfilling the need quite nicely. Thank you, Mason."

Alexis didn't want to go home; not knowing what she would find, just the thought of going anywhere near Harborview Towers made her stomach knot up. And neither did she want to go anywhere public where she might run into anyone who knew her. Listening to the salacious whispers over Carly's return from the dead was not going to help her in any way shape or form either. A delicate invitation to Mason's yacht was turned down just as delicately. He didn't pursue it.

So they just drove. With nothing but the rain and the wind to keep them company.

Mason remained thankfully silent. Alexis too. She let the sound of the rain fill her mind. She didn't want to think right now, she didn't want to make any conversation, and she didn't want to feel. Instead, the quiet purr of the car's motor, the roar of the storm outside stilled the storm inside, she let it all fill her.

At last, the rain began to let up. They were close to the dock area and suddenly Alexis felt the need for some fresh air. She needed to be out in the open. She wanted to walk down by the water. "Can we pull over?"

"Anything you want." Mason parked the car. "But I'm not letting you go anywhere alone."

"I'm not very good company right now." Alexis said. It wasn't that she wanted to be alone, but she didn't want to explain herself to anyone. Especially when she couldn't explain herself to herself.

Mason shrugged. "That's all right. Pretend I'm your shadow. Ignore me. I'm used to that." He said with a small smile, meant to elicit one from her. It worked.

"Fine, come along and be ignored some more."

"Nothing would please me more at the moment." He paused. "I'm not going to pry or anything, but there's something in your face. You look a little upset...more than a little upset... a little scared, even. What are you afraid of?"

Alexis looked at him, then shaking her head gently, looked away.

"Never mind. Don't answer, if you don't want to."

Mason was true to his word. He was nothing more than a comforting presence. They walked along the mostly deserted streets and then made their way down to the waterfront. Alexis walked to the end of the pier, staring out across the dark waters. What was she afraid of?

Her thoughts turned to Sonny, unconsciously hearing his voice. The question that Mason had asked her, she was hearing Sonny ask her too. It seemed from a lifetime ago.  
  
_flashback_

"What are you afraid of? You can tell me or not, but you don't need to lie, because I know that something's bothering you."

"I am.. I'm feeling a little skittish lately." Alexis told Sonny. This conversation had taken place not long after Helena had kidnapped her and held her captive after Stavros had somehow, horrifically, returned from the dead.

Just as she had known how much Sonny had suffered these past few days, Sonny had known what she was going through back then. He knew she'd bottled up what she was feeling. 'The master bottler' she'd called him.

"Which is why I can read you pretty well. Just tell me."

And she had.  
"I wasn't sure if any of us would ever be safe again. I - I hadn't felt that helpless since I was a kid. And there I was, holding my breath, waiting, waiting for it to be over, praying someone would come and rescue me. And then, suddenly, apropos of absolutely nothing, I - I pictured you... telling me to breathe. And I laughed out loud. I mean, I think I did. I don't know. Either way - either way, it - it really helped me. A little, anyway."

She remembered his eyes. How dark and soulful, and yes, a little sad they had looked.

"You know what?" He told her. "I let you down. You had a dream about me - that I rescued you - and I didn't. And I should have after everything you've done for me."  
  
She had answered him in a very soft voice. "You didn't let me down. I doubt you ever could."

_end flashback_

He hadn't let her down then and face it, he hadn't let her down now. The look on Sonny's face as he'd run after Carly? Why should she let it hurt her so? What had she expected him to do? And most importantly, why was she doubting him now when she had no reason on earth to?

Back after her rescue, when she'd first been reunited with Kristina and she and her friends had insisted on throwing a party to celebrate her survival, even though it was the last thing she'd really wanted or needed, it had been Sonny who had come in, and who had whisked her away from it all. He'd known without asking, what she'd needed. He'd known she had needed to break things and scream and shout and finally let herself be held in his arms as she sobbed out her fears.

This was pretty much the same scenario. Why couldn't she see it before? It was because she'd let her own fears and old insecurities overtake her. Of course he'd run after Carly. He had to face what had happened and deal with it and her.

And Carly was not about to just turn the other cheek and let him go with her blessing. It was too much to hope that her near-brush with death would give her a new change of heart and mind. So Alexis had to be prepared for what Carly was going to do next. Carly wasn't going to give up without a fight. But this time neither was Alexis.

That was what Sonny needed from her now. He'd asked her if the positions were reversed, would she choose him. Well she had chosen him then and she chose him now. And it wasn't going to be easy, but they were worth the fight. Alexis felt renewed and stronger for this revelation. She smiled.

Mason noticed. "Feeling better?"

"Tons." He really had been more of a help than even he knew. A friend stood by you, a friend lent you their strength when you were weak. And that's what Sonny needed from her now, more than ever. He needed her strengths, her ability to coolly appraise situations and act on them in his best interests. She'd done it for him so many times before. And he'd need her more than ever now.

"Then my job as shadow is done." Mason moved to stand beside her. He glanced out at Spoon Island. Carefully determined to keep their conversation casual, he gestured towards it. "I've wondered about that place since I've come to town. I don't suppose you could check out its market value and availability. I've always wanted to own my own island." He chuckled. "There's probably something very warped about that."

"Well, you'll have to find another one. That one belongs to my family."

"Really. A great big estate like that, and you don't live there?"

"Not my cup of tea."

"I'd love to take a look around sometime. Maybe a picnic lunch in the Grand Ballroom."

"How do you know it has a Grand Ballroom?"

"What great mansion doesn't?" He grinned at her.

He really was incorrigible, Alexis thought. "Well, my brother is in residence right now. Perhaps I can arrange a tour when he's not there."

"And the picnic?"

"One thing at a time, please."

"How long will we have to wait? Does your brother have a problem with commoners invading his great estate?"

"Her brother enjoys his privacy, and his sister respects that."

Alexis and Mason turned at the sound of Stefan's voice.

"I called you twice, Alexis. And when you didn't answer your phone, I was... concerned. Were you otherwise occupied to the extent that you weren't taking calls?" His eyes coolly appraised the man at her side.

Alexis hurried to introduce them. "He's a client...and friend of mine's" she reassured Stefan.

"Prince Stefan Cassidine?" His eyes slanted towards Alexis. "I had no idea of your lofty family connections. You never mentioned you were royalty."

"My nephew is the Prince Regent, not I." Stefan replied. "And indeed, Alexis is descended from ancient royalty. But you were explaining your business with my sister?"

"Was I? Ah, yes, well then. Alexis was in need of some companionship, and I was happy to provide it."

"Well then, I must thank you for taking care of her so diligently. But I'm sure you must have many things to attend to, and as for Alexis' needs, I will see to them welfare for the remainder of the evening." It was clearly a dismissal. Polite, but a dismissal nonetheless.

Before Alexis could speak, either to apologize or explain, Mason spoke first. Just as polite as Stefan had been, he excused himself. "I'll call you in a day or two, and we'll reschedule our business arrangements then." He said to Alexis.

"Thank you, Mason." Alexis said. He shook her hand, and then surprised her, by lifting it briefly to her lips, in the European manner. "Good evening, _Principessa_." His eyes were faintly mocking.

"Goodnight Mason. I'll speak to you soon."

"I'm counting on it." Mason sketched a bow in Stefan's direction, and then whistling nonchalantly, walked away.

"Don't you think you were a bit harsh?" Alexis asked.

"If you're waiting for me to apologize for being somewhat overprotective when I find you with a man that I'm unfamiliar with, I'm afraid you'll be waiting for quite a long time, Alexis. Besides, it goes with the territory when one has such a beautiful sister."

"No man is ever going to be good enough to pass your scrutiny." Alexis stated. She sighed inwardly. Especially not a man like Sonny Corinthos. How was she ever going to explain them to Stefan?

"Possibly not." Stefan agreed, pleased to bring a smile to her face. Something in her eyes told him that there'd been something that had been troubling her. But she was as reticent as he was when the situation called for it. He would need time to get her to speak of it. There was a way to create a more conducive atmosphere for that.

"Poor Kristina." Alexis said dryly.

"Speaking of which; I've spoken to her earlier. She didn't know where you were either. I suggested that she come out to Wyndemere and await your return there. Now that I've located you, why don't you join us? Nikolas is already there, keeping her company and we can all sit down have a late dinner. And perhaps even a leisurely breakfast together as well. Mrs. Lansbury would enjoy that, I'm sure."

Alexis hadn't known if she was ready to go back to the penthouse. Sonny surely had his hands full. Carly's return, Michael. Maybe she should give him his space and not go running after him like a love-struck teen.

"Just a moment, Stefan." She stepped away from him and reached for her cell phone. The first call was to Sonny's phone. As she expected, there was no answer. Unsure of what she should say, she hesitated when the voice mail tone sounded. "Sonny, this is Alexis... I'm just calling to see how you are and I'll talk to you soon" She hung up quickly after that. How lame and inadequate that sounded, even to her own ears. She wanted to tell him that she'd be there for him, that she knew how confused he must be feeling right now. And how something in her was whispering a warning. Not about Carly's miraculous return per se, but there was something more than there what met the eye. How was it that she showed up just at the end of the memorial service? Something wasn't right, Alexis thought to herself.

The second call was to the penthouse. Max answered. Sonny had left orders that he would be at the hospital with his wife for the rest of the night, and short of a life and death emergency, he was not to be bothered.

The whispering was becoming a shout. No no no....something definitely was too coincidental about this return from the dead. It was nothing more than a vague gut feeling. But was she right, or was she just indulging herself in wishful thinking.

Stefan was watching her carefully. "Whatever it is that is troubling you, Alexis, you will operate better after a night of rest." His voice gentled. "Come home."

Stefan was right. Time with family, and a good night's sleep was what she needed. She would be no good to Sonny if she wore herself out. Sonny wasn't going to be able to see this clearly for a long time yet. And the odds are that Carly would be counting on it. Tomorrow, she'd begin to figure this all out. Figuring out Carly's first move would be on the top of her agenda.

On the boat ride to Wyndemere, she heard Sonny's voice one last time, from one of their many conversations. He'd just informed her that he was giving her his protection, whether she wanted it or not. "Listen, you can't change the past, but whatever's coming is not going to get to you if I can help it."

"Right back at you, Sonny." She murmured aloud. "Hurricane Carly's coming... and she's not going to get to you if I can help it."


	50. Family Ties

**CHAPTER FIFTY  
Family Ties**

She'd slept surprisingly well, Alexis realized as she opened her eyes. In the clear morning light, Alexis was more sure than ever of that first twinge of intuition. During the night, Alexis' analytical mind had gone back and reviewed bits and pieces of the events of everything that had gone before, minutely examining each new piece of evidence, sifting through her thoughts and impressions. And even if she couldn't pinpoint how, things simply didn't add up.

Sitting up, Alexis' first thought was to try and reach Sonny on her cell phone, but again she got no answer. It could be that her signal wasn't getting through; she refused to think of any other possibilities or to let it burden her spirit. She had decided that she would fight for Sonny, and that was exactly what she intended on doing. So instead of letting her old thought patterns drag her down into old habits and non-action, she concentrated on following her hunch.

She went over in her mind exactly how Carly had looked as she stood in the doorway of the church. For someone who had been involved in a harrowing, death-defying accident, and had presumably been lost in the wilderness and given up for dead, Carly had appeared very well groomed and clothed. Her analytical mind drew on memories that she'd been too emotional to notice at the time. Now these details came flooding back to the surface. Her clothes had been rumpled and wrinkled, that was to be expected. But clean enough. Her hair too – no snarls and tangles.

Alexis concentrated. The same could be said for her hands and even her fingernails. Her hands had been smooth, not cracked or dry, and her fingers had been clean if not manicured. Carly didn't look at all like someone who'd been lost wandering around in the woods. Not at all.

Carly definitely merited a closer examination; the hows and whys continued with her as she showered and dressed – Stefan had made a closet full of clothing in her size available for her any time she visited the island - and made her way downstairs. It would be very interesting to hear what her story was.

Mrs. Lansbury herself escorted her to where breakfast was being served, on one of the terraces that faced away from the city, the forested shoreline on the far side of the Port Charles River providing a calming and peaceful view.

Stefan had been reading the morning newspaper, but folded it as Alexis stepped out onto the terrace. She caught a glimpse of the headline announcing Caroline Benson's miraculous return from the dead. She frowned slightly, more sure than ever that there was more to it than it appeared at first glance. Then she was aware of Stefan's glance following her own. She shifted her gaze to meet his own; Stefan's response was only a slightly raised eyebrow. He said nothing more, instead coming forward to escort her to a seat beside him.

She picked up the paper and quickly scanned the front page. Not surprisingly the ex-Mrs. Corinthos' "miraculous" return from the dead was front page news. She would have read the story avidly for more clues, but suddenly aware of her half-brother's eye on her again, she quickly tossed it aside with a nonchalance she didn't feel. She wasn't ready to share the details of this situation with him just yet.

And since there was nothing she could do about it in this moment, Alexis put it momentarily from her mind and allowed herself instead to take the time and the unexpected pleasure to bask in the warmth and comfort of her family. Since Kristina's emergence, her family had taken on a new dimension.

Somehow, her little sister had taken the individual threads of their lives and woven them effortlessly into the woof and warp of her own, building a brand-new tapestry that was unforeseen by any of them – and cherished more than ever before. She watched indulgently, as Nikolas and Kristina kept up an animated chatter throughout the meal that Stefan and Alexis joined in with comments of their own from time to time.

Mrs. Lansbury had obviously been pleased at having all four of them under one roof at the same time. She had definitely outdone herself as far as the menu was concerned, providing everyone's favorites. The sidebars were covered with so many dishes that the choices were almost overwhelming, and each of them pressed the others to try this tasty tidbit or that.

It was with satisfied sighs and groans that they finally finished, nearly an hour after they had begun. Then it was Kristina's idea that they should go for a run along the shore. Nikolas was agreeable; Alexis and Stefan agreed only accompany them. Not to run. They made that crystal-clear, despite the younger pair's teasing..

The four of the walked along the beach for a few minutes, then Nikolas challenged Kristina.

"A quarter mile past the cottage and back." Nikolas had dared Kristina, pointing down the beach to where a small guesthouse sat, nestled in its own tiny garden.

Stefan smiled indulgently at the two of them as they raced away. "She's proven herself to be very good for Nikolas. She brings out his youth, something I'm afraid that I could never quite manage to do."

"Could it be that you're an old soul yourself?" Alexis said. "Nikolas is very much like you. And that's a very good thing."

The two of them walked until they came to the cottage. It was a small gem of a house, with a cozy garden surrounding its terraced front. This is where Stefan guided them and they sat there on the bench set in the tiny stone-flagged terrace for a moment, enjoying the morning's sunshine. "Helena might not think so." Stefan replied.

"Why ruin a perfectly wonderful morning by even mentioning her name?" Alexis chided him.

"My apologies." Stefan conceded with a smile. "Perhaps we can talk instead about what has your thoughts so otherwise occupied? The miraculous return of Mrs. Corinthos to her family, for instance?" So he had seen her interest in the newspaper. She should have known she couldn't fool him. And that he wouldn't question her about it as well.

"The _ex_ Mrs. Corinthos," Alexis corrected him. "I have the distinct – _pleasure_ –" and her tone made it very clear that it was anything but – "Of knowing Caroline. Corinthos _nee _Benson, and trust me, Stefan, it's doubtful that her return is miraculous at all."

Her mind was still at work even while she relaxed, still putting questions forth that needed answering, formulating her lines of inquiry. Her eyes ranged over the far shore, thickly forested. She found herself thinking of Carly again. Carly had been somewhere over there, lost in the woods all these days? Then how was it that she'd been so clean? And why, for instance, had Carly come straight to the church? A rational person would have gone straight to an emergency room. Especially if their mother was a nurse. How had she known to come to the church instead?

Stefan cleared his throat, bringing her attention back to him. "Why concern yourself about her, or the Corinthoses at all? In fact, why do you continue to reside at the Harborview Towers at all?"

It was obvious that this was something Stefan had had on his mind for some time. "Sonny Corinthos is a client of mine, But more importantly, he and I have developed, an understanding. A friendship." Alexis said.

"And this is the reason for this deep concern?" Stefan's eyes were probing. "Friendship?"

"I care about him." Alexis said carefully. "Despite arguments to the contrary, he is a man. One with feelings. He can be hurt like anyone else. He does what he feels he must, but these decisions often cost him. Don't tell me that you cannot understand what that must be like?"

Whether Stefan liked it or not, she could see that her words had scored a point and she pressed it home, wanting, almost needing him to understand. "These last few days have been a difficult time for him, and I am happy to have been able to be a comfort to him. Don't believe everything you hear about him, Stefan; he is not what some people seem. Like others I know and care for." She quirked a meaningful smile at him.

"Point taken." Stefan said. Alexis could tell he was not ready to accept her decision fully. His next words proved her right. "But didn't you enjoy today's gathering? Why not have that every day? Why would you choose to live in a penthouse apartment building that is controlled by a man with a unsavory reputation such as Sonny Corinthos?"

"Stefan, _you_ have an unsavory reputation as far as Port Charles is concerned. And I don't hold that against you. Why in the world should I hold that against him? I won't."

"But we are family."

"And he is someone I care about." Alexis couldn't bring herself to lie to Stefan. Not quite. "He has proven his loyalty to me in the past – I can do no less now."

"Well said, Natasha." Stefan replied. "But is there any reason in particular you continue to live at this Harborview Towers? I would much rather you stayed here. It befits your position as Cassidine royalty," He reminded her. "My business on behalf of the family keeps me traveling, and so it's your responsibility as one of the elders of our line – which is the senior branch of the family, I remind you - to set a proper example for Kristina – and Nikolas."

"I've always done my very best to protect and aid Nikolas – and the family, as you well know." Alexis said.

How could she explain, that for the first time in her life, she had matters that that took precedence and concerned her that did not involved the family? Even her romance with Ned had not consumed her with the same intensity. One reason that she and Ned had worked was that they were both gatekeepers for their respective families. That much, they had understood about one another. But this thing with Sonny and her, it was all hers. He'd been the first man, the first person to accept her exactly as she was, without fitting her into any preconceived notions about who and what she ought to be. Alexis refocused on his words. "Stefan, you may overlook it, but the fact remains, I am nothing more than a bastard Cassidine. Your mother ingrained that in me at a very early age."

"The fact remains, Natasha Alexis Davidovitch _Cassidine_, that it is the blood that counts. My mother has probably held so much animosity towards you because first and foremost, your blood is Cassidine – and hers is not. Her lineage may be royal, but it was a penniless, obscure line of Greek royalty - a name with little money and less power, however proud the lineage. You, by your blood, the blood of _our_ father, are descended from true Russian royalty. For that alone, she will never forgive you. You have what she will always lack. Breeding will always tell, in the end.

"Secondly, and I think this cuts her most of all – you and your sister were conceived in love. I do not deceive myself on this point and I never have. Our father truly loved your mother. Stavros, myself, even Nikolas – in a sense -, they were conceived out of a sense of duty, nothing more."

His admission left her speechless for a moment. "And this realization doesn't bother you?" Alexis wondered.

"I came to terms with it a long time ago." Stefan's eyes were shadowed and Alexis knew from the look on his face that she'd get very little more from him on the subject. "My mother is who she is. She traded love for power a long time ago...very likely before I was ever born. Indeed, she may have felt she had no choice; she never had our father's love. He was a very arrogant man and I'm sure he made her position in his life painfully clear. My - our - father– never loved her. She knew it, and traded that for power. And it has consumed her.

"But you're right; let us speak of more pleasant things," he said with a gentle smile that waved away whatever pain he might have felt at this realizing this truth. Alexis knew he would have never spoken of it if he hadn't found a way to deal with it. "I understand your reluctance to live up at the _grand maison _It reminds you too much of the estates in Greece. But this," he gestured around the cottage and garden. "This might suit you. It goes without saying that you may come and go as you please, whether or not I'm in residence. I know that you value your privacy, as much as I do. I will have Mrs. Lansbury air it and stock it with whatsoever you might like. And you may come here at any time. _Anytime - _he stressed – "you feel the need to get away from the mainland."

It was as close as Stefan would come to prying, Alexis knew. "I appreciate the offer, Stefan. I hope that I won't feel the need, but thank you."

"I will always look out for you, Natasha."


	51. A Conversation A Revelation

**CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE  
A Conversation…A Revelation**

On the boat ride back to the mainland, Alexis' mind was busy once more with plans and possibilities. Kristina noticed her thoughtful expression and it excited her. Her eyes were bright with it.

"I can see the wheels turning. What do you think really happened to Carly, Alexis? And more important, tell me what you're planning to do about it!"

"Who says I'm going to do anything about it?" Alexis answered, only a little annoyed that her feelings were so transparent. In too little time, Kristina had shown herself very able to read her big sister.

"I'm just happy to see you finally ready to follow your heart and not your head." Kristina said. She paused, her expression going serious for just a moment. "I didn't say anything earlier, but I saw your face at the funeral when Carly appeared. You looked like your heart had been ripped clean out of your chest. This morning, that look was gone. You're not going to let this change anything between you and Sonny."

"I am going to let Sonny decide what Sonny wants."

"You're not going to fight for him?

Alexis shook her head. "If I have to 'fight' for him against Carly, for his heart, then just what is it that I'm winning?"

"But what about Carly?"

"This has got to be about me and Sonny. I know Sonny. He hates needing people." She couldn't help but remember the look in his eyes that night, when he had at last, admitted that he'd needed _her._ It had thrilled her, body and soul. And, no matter what else she had been through in her life, she had a woman's pride when it came to love. Sonny had to be left to make his choice for her love freely. Or else it counted for nothing.

"He'll do anything to keep from needing any one. I don't think he even realizes it when he does it, because it's not a deliberate action on his part. And that's where I have to be careful. Sonny is a proud man. Very alpha-male. He won't trust himself to allow someone to be there for him. Sonny doesn't expect trust and caring. He actually expects betrayal."

Alexis slowed, realizing a new truth even as the words came from her mouth. "…And he expects pain. He expects betrayal. And hurt. Sonny doesn't think he deserves honesty and trust and genuine caring. He doesn't think he deserves a love that he can fully trust. He's never had it before. But I…I don't know any other way to love."

Kristina sighed. "Are you ready to admit how much you truly love him?" she knew how much Alexis hated someone invading her private space, but she couldn't help but ask.

"When I'm ready for that, you'll be the first to know – no, the second." Alexis amended with a smile that brought an answering delighted giggle from her sister. "Right now, all I know is that I will do everything to help him be the man I know he can be."

Alexis looked away from Kristina, and out over the water. "It's time for Sonny to break this cycle of pain and betrayals that he's been locked into all of his life.

"I want him to change, but not for me. I want him to change, because I know that he can and more importantly, I believe that he wants to. But he has to be the one to choose it. No one, not even me, can make that choice for him. And I wouldn't want a man that would allow me to make the choice for him. I don't want an indecisive boy; I need a man in my life who knows what he wants, who chooses me, because he sees it as the right choice in _his_ life.

"There's a lot to Sonny you couldn't possibly know, Kristina. And I don't know if I could even begin to explain him to you. He's a very complex and complicated man. But I can tell you this much: in Sonny's mind, everyone has an angle, everyone has a game. And no one is to be trusted. He learned that at a very early age. Sadly enough, it's ingrained so deeply in his subconscious that he doesn't see how it affects his life and the choices he makes. But the results are that no one gets close.

"I even understand he and Carly now. From the beginning, their relationship was built from the very beginning on betrayal, whatever else they may have found afterwards, and this was the devil he knew. Sonny thinks he deserves no better. But when he let me in, it was different from the beginning. He didn't see me as a woman."

"How could he miss that?" Kristina said with a laugh.

"Because at first, I was a just a suit. I got the job done, and I did it well. Very well. Trust me, I enjoyed rubbing the PCPD's nose in the dirt legally, and he recognized that. It was a kindred thought, probably the first that we shared. He was a challenge to work for; I liked it and he knew it. I liked to win – the same as he did.

"But somehow, we became friends. I think that I was the first woman in Sonny's life that was his friend first, the first one he treated as an equal. He had to. As his attorney, he had to allow himself to trust me. And because of who I am, I wouldn't accept anything less from him. But it was a challenge for him, and one for me too… and we both enjoyed the duel that became this incredible, wonderful dance that we've been doing for months and months. The duel of words and lifestyles between us became a dance, and I don't think either of us realized just when that happened. But somehow, I got under his skin, just like he got under mine's."

"And what about Carly?" Kristina persisted; glad to see this side of her sister.

"What about Carly, indeed. I'm going to speak with Nikolas about the men he used in the search. Jax too – maybe. I don't want them to stop. I want them to continue tracking just where Carly was and how she got from there to here."

"You don't think she was in an accident." There was no question in Kristina's voice, but her expression formed it anyway.

Alexis smiled at Kristina, marveling at her naiveté. "I know that you find it hard to accept the things that some people are willing to do to get what they want. But while I don't deny that the accident happened, it just wouldn't be Carly if she didn't find a way to take advantage of any situation that gets her what she wants. Even this. She betrayed her husband on so many levels this last time. Sonny threw her out and shut the door on her. He told me time and time again that he was done with her and to prove it, he rushed the divorce through. Do you know I didn't believe it until the two of them actually signed the papers?  
"She was out of his life for good, and he was ready to move on. With me. She saw that. And then she saw us together. She'll be looking to get back in. And if Carly can destroy me – or what's probably more important to her - us – in the process, trust me, baby sister, she will."


	52. A Place Without Stars

**CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO  
A Place Without Stars**

Alexis and Kristina arrived back at the penthouse a short time later. She looked at the door, then to Johnny. Her eyes asked a silent question and Johnny nodded in return. Sonny had come home.

Kristina stepped inside the door, then stopped and turned to look at her sister inquisitively. Alexis hesitated. Her heart waged a hard-fought battle in her chest. A part of her wanted to run to him, to enfold him in her arms and never let go. But the other part of her thought about what the man she cared for much needed.

Space. He needed to the time to fight against the demons in his soul. But if left to himself, who would win?

And so she hesitated at her door, not knowing whether to stay or go.

As though she willed it, the penthouse door across the hall opened. Her heart slashed downwards in a gut-wrenching dive as she took in the sight of him. Sonny looked like he hadn't slept for the past twenty-four hours. His eyes, normally dancing with their devil-may-care light, had gone dull and lifeless. There were dark shadows under his eyes. He looked ravaged by equal parts of exhaustion and guilt. _When was the last time he'd slept?_

"Sonny…" his name escaped her lips without thinking.

He raised haunted eyes to hers.

After once glance into his eyes, Kristina disappeared quietly inside the apartment.

"Johnny." Sonny's voice was hoarse and raspy. "Can you give us a moment?"

Johnny nodded quietly and headed for the elevator.

Presently, it was just the two of them alone in the hallway. Alexis took a hesitant step towards him, halting as Sonny stepped out into the hall and gently closed the door behind him.

That action spoke more than a thousand words and froze her in her steps.. He was shutting her out. In all the troubles they had weathered together, he had never shut her out so eloquently. And what hurt most was that it was happening without him saying a single word.

"Why, Sonny?" the words whispered over her lips.

The pain in her voice drew Sonny to her. Before she could move again, he standing before her, close enough so that she could feel what should have been the heat from his body but what was now instead the chill of a glacier. Their connection was splintered with icy-self-control. She shivered in spite of herself.

"It…It's not you. It's me."

Alexis' heart plummeted. His voice was flat with denied emotion. She understood. The demons of his past were back in full force. "Sonny…. No..."

He went on as though she hadn't spoken. "You don't know, Alexis. You don't how things really are with me. How everything good that my life touches turns to ashes."

"I've made choices in my life that do nothing but cause people harm. Everyone around me pays for my sins. But never me." He paused and Alexis sensed the pain coming off of him in waves. Her heart went out to him, despite her earlier protestations of pride.

"God has a sense of humor. Did you know that?" Sonny laughed; but the sound was bitter and his eyes kindling with savage pain. "A great sense of humor, oh yes He does. Especially when it comes to me. With all of my many transgressions, He won't take me from this earth, even though I've earned death a hundred times over. But He finds a way to make me pay. By leaving me whole and alive, while making everything around me wither and die."

"You're wrong, Sonny…. God isn't like that. He wants us to be happy and ...and be loved. Even when we sin against Him, God just wants us to love and be loved…." She reached out for him, but drew back, shocked as Sonny jerked away from her touch.

"That might be true for everyone else, Alexis." Sonny's voice rose. "But you don't understand…it's my life I'm talking about here! My life is cursed – and so is anyone's who's connected to me!"

He spun away from her, fist striking savagely against the wall, the blow echoing in the air between them. "God makes sure I pay…by keeping me alive and making everyone around me suffer instead."

"Carly is alive, Sonny. She isn't dead. And you didn't cause her accident." His moment of lost control unnerved Alexis more than anything else. "God forgives us if we truly repent, Sonny." She told him, suddenly aware of the need to break through his self-imposed guilt.

She paused, momentarily at a loss for words; then Alexis decided to speak what was foremost in her heart. "Do you deny God's capacity to love?

"Do you defy God to forgive you, Sonny? Do you really think you're that much more powerful than God's love?"

Something in his eyes flickered, responding to her, but whether it was her voice, her words or her challenge, she didn't know.

The only thing she did know was that she was unable to bear watching his pain any longer from so far away. With no sense of rational thought, Alexis came to him, taking his hands in her own, silently willing him to take whatever he could of her strength.

She was snared helplessly by his gaze, drawn into the dark dreamless depths of his eyes, trying to fathom what thoughts were lurking hidden in those sable dark depths. What she saw there, the raw and naked pain sent a wave of empathy surging through her, delving into the very rivers of her being.

Unconsciously, his hands clamped down on hers almost to the point to where it hurt, but Alexis didn't flinch. She barely registered the sensation of near-pain, the touch of his flesh to hers was her only reality.

Then Sonny's hands were gliding swiftly up her arms, igniting a trail of heat in their wake, palms moving first to cup her face, then fingers began lightly tracing the now-familiar contours, as though re-familiarizing himself with the feel of her.

Alexis found their positions reversed, her back suddenly against the wall and Sonny's body pressed against hers urgently and she trembled helplessly beneath his touch. Before she could move or speak, his lips were on hers, retaking them as he had done that first time, totally encompassing and engulfing her senses and then all rhyme and reason with his touch and taste.

Like a thirsty man at a newly discovered oasis, Sonny drank deeply from her lips. He was drowning; inundated and overwhelmed in his grief-turned-guilt, lost in the arid and all too familiar wasteland of his life-long-standing self-hatred and Alexis was life-giving waters to his soul.

His hands came up, fingers tangling themselves in the rich chestnut mass of hair, beseeching, then swiftly demanding all that she could give. And Alexis gave all that she was to him freely, without reservations, without any thought to herself. Indeed, she had no capability of true thought, just feeling and wanting and desire. She was the wellspring of all that he needed in this moment, the only thing that would assuage his torment, and she opened the dam-gates of her heart for him with everything she had in her.

The elevator chimed, announcing its imminent arrival, bringing them back to the here and now. Sonny pulled back from her, the kiss ended as suddenly and as savagely as it had begun. Breath ragged and short, they stood there silently, eyes caught by one another's.

He released her, just before the doors slid open and Michael burst out, followed by Max and Johnny. Max' expression remained unchanging; Johnny glanced at Alexis, a silent apology in his eyes.

Alexis struggled to regain her balance; Sonny's onslaught had left her with legs a-tremble, heart throbbing unevenly in her chest, breathless from the intensity of his kisses, lips tender, swollen and bruised and feeling that without a doubt, Max and Johnny must know, just by looking at her, what had just happened between them.

Michael, totally oblivious to the adult tension thrumming in the air, began to chatter excitedly. He came to go with his father to the hospital to see mommy. "So we can be together just like mommy says we're supposed to be."

His words were an ice-cold jolt of reality in her face. And more than that, worse than that, Alexis could tell what it did to Sonny too. Her eyes went to his face and she watched as the shutters slammed down and the walls rose up. It was as though the last few minutes they'd spent in one another's arms had never happened.

Little Michael turned to Alexis, still talking animatedly and grinned. "A family again. That's what mommy says. Isn't that great?"

"It's great to see you happy, Michael." Alexis managed to say. "I'm glad your mother came home."

"I knew she would. Just like I knew she'd be all right. She came to see me when everyone was looking for her, just to let me know she'd be home soon. It wasn't a dream like everyone told me, even if she was wearing a crown."

"A crown?" Alexis asked in spite of herself.

"Well, maybe it wasn't a crown." Michael admitted. He thought for a moment. "Maybe it was more like the stuff like they wear in the desert, like in a book that Uncle Jason brought me once. I drew a picture of her."

"That's nice, Michael. I'm glad to see you happy." Her eyes swept from the child to Sonny, but his eyes were shuttered again, emotions carefully closed against her and she couldn't read him at all. She watched as he shut down everything in order to present a calm front for his son, and a solid façade before his men.

"Are you ready to go, Daddy?" Michael had turned to Sonny, his eyes still alight. "We'd better hurry before Mommy gets too sleepy to see us."

"I don't think that will happen, Michael. Your mom is waiting for you. Why don't you go on inside, and I'll be right behind you?"

But Michael was tugging on his hand and he was left with no choice but to let the little boy drag him towards the door. His eyes turned to Alexis, but she was once more, unable to read into their depths.

"I'll talk to you later, Sonny." Alexis said.

"…Take care of yourself, Alexis." Sonny answered in a voice gone suddenly soft. So eerily soft, that it sent a thrill of unease through her.

His door closed. There was nothing left but to turn away and enter her own apartment. She did, then Alexis leaned against the closed door and closed her eyes against the burn of unshed tears. "Take care of you, Sonny." She whispered aloud. "Until you let me take care of you."

Sonny closed the door, barely conscious of Michael's excited chatter. Finally, he managed to get a word in.

"Just let me go upstairs and clean up – just a little –" he amended quickly, seeing the look of disappointment come into Michael's eyes. The little boy had been through so much, Sonny couldn't bear the look in his son's eyes. _They all needed him so much. His own sins couldn't be allowed to touch other lives…_

Once upstairs, Sonny leaned heavily over the bathroom sink. Bending low and cupping his hands under the faucet, he splashed cold water over his face in an effort to clear his mind. At last he lifted his head to look at his reflection. A haggard face stared back at him. His eyes were burning, tired and felt gritty.

When was the last time he'd slept? He couldn't remember, but it didn't matter. The night had no peace for him; it was a place without stars. Sleep held no peace for him, no restoration or solace. Every time he closed his eyes, the nightmares came back to haunt him. The blood of the innocents on his hands that would never come clean. He had to do the penance for that. Carly had almost lost her life, because of him… his son had almost lost his mother. He owed them, now.

Sonny closed his eyes, and for a moment, he was unwillingly drawn back to the memory of Alexis in his arms, of her lips against his and what that had been like for him. He'd been lost, drowning, twisting, unutterably lost in a maelstrom of pain. But then Alexis had been there, like a mirage on a far horizon, like the answer to the unspoken prayer that he'd never dared prayed for. For peace. For a love that didn't hurt.

But that was not to be for him. She was not for him. Sonny knew that. The accident had only proven what he'd always known. That it was his destiny to never gain peace or happiness.

But he'd come so close to breaking the vow he'd made earlier. Alexis could never understand, and he knew that. For all that they shared a tortured childhood and the trauma it could inflict, for all that they recognized the kindred spirit in one another, there had always been some things that she could never understand and one of those things was the decision that he'd made.

She'd braved bullets, his accusations of betrayal, his angers and his selfish self-centered ways, and stayed by his side through it all. In the end, on the night that had changed both their worlds, had put all that she was on the line for him. But he couldn't let her do that anymore.

Alexis wanted to be there for him, she was the friend and lover he'd never experienced before in his life, and somewhere deep inside, he knew that, but no matter what she said, in his heart he knew what would happen if he allowed it. She'd get hurt just like the rest. Like Carly, like Brenda. Like… Lily. And his children. His heart bled again with the pain of his memories, but it also strengthened his resolve.

For her own sake, he had to push her away. He couldn't let another moment of weakness overtake him, he told himself harshly. Sonny told himself that it was a goodbye of sorts. Alexis would understand it, one day. She was too smart not to. And one day, she'd even thank him for it.

Slowly, Sonny straightened, his resolve returning stronger and more unwavering. He'd die first before he let that any hurt to her happen. And if the price for her life, her happiness, were his own, then he'd pay it.

Gladly. Without reservation or hesitation. He'd sacrifice it all – for her.


	53. Dreams and Delusions

**CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE  
Dreams and Delusions**

The avalanche of sensations crashed down upon him, a mind-jarring flood of sight sound and worst of all – _feeling_ - surrounded him, enveloped him. Over and over the same scenes played through his mind and Sonny was helpless to escape their merciless grip.

…_The stench of his terror was strong in his nostrils; Sonny's body trembled uncontrollably. He hated feeling this vulnerable, this frightened, this so out-of-control._

…_He was a small child again, huddled in that cramped, filthy space under the stairs, terrified, wanting to weep but afraid to, terrified of the wrathful storm the tiniest sound would bring. His small bruised and beaten body huddled in the farthest corner, the darkness pressing down on him like a living thing, pressing out every sense in him, all light and sound and sense of feeling…but feeling was worse, hearing was worse, the words that cut him deeper than any blow, seeing was worse of all…the hatred of the eyes looking on him, the sight of his mother's body, battered and bruised and broken time after time after time, ...even as he watched, the ugly purpled hues chased themselves across her flesh…knowing that there was no escape plunged Sonny's soul in the dark place, the place of weakness and despair. _

_...Searing heat fanned outwards, searing his sight with a fiery kaleidoscope of heat, light and noise. Arms were holding him back from plunging into the burning mass of twisted metal, knowing even as he struggled to break free that he was already lost, that everything was already lost… He never forgot the cruel crackling, hissing sound of the fire, as it consumed his life and hopes and dreams. He wanted nothing more than to fling himself into the morass of flame, to quench the agony and guilt that burnt in his heart. He screamed her name. "Lily..."_

…_The screeching of brakes trailed on and on, like the scream of a dying woman a dagger plunging into the depths of his soul. Then came the long sickening drop into nothingness, the dark wind whistling in his ears, engulfing all hopes… and the thin echo of Carly's scream as it must have sounded like, fading away into a empty, soul-harrowing nothinglessness that chilled him to his very marrow…And the knowledge that it had been him and his actions that had sent her out into the night, alone was an agony that struck at him again and again, the pain shredding, tearing into him in an unending agony…_

Sonny wrenched himself free of the nightmare. His body jerked upright, a gasp escaping his lips as his eyes opened. For a moment, the terrifying kaleidoscope of images continued to dance before his eyes for long moments before they faded.

He swung his feet to the floor before leaning forward and burying his head in his hands, trying to bring his breathing back to normal. His hands shook as he ran them over his face, feeling the sweat on his brow. Sonny swore softly to himself, angry at this lost of control, even if it was only in his dreams. Exhaling sharply, he straightened up. His eye was caught by the blinking red light of the phone's answering machine. He remembered that he'd shut off the bedroom phone, determined to get some much-needed sleep.

Sleep was what he had gotten, but no real rest. Determined not to dwell on his dreams and refusing to allow them to have dominion over him now that he was awake, Sonny reached out and hit the replay button.

A part of him wished that it was Alexis' voice he'd hear; but just as quickly as the thought came to him, he banished it from his mind. His choice was made. But a fresh stab of pain nicked his heart as he realized that she hadn't called. _But what had he expected – hadn't he made it clear to her that he didn't want to talk to her right now? _

The first two messages were from Jason. Sonny made a mental note to get back to him later, unwillingly to deal with the issues at hand. Jason could handle it and Sonny would tell him so. When the third caller played, he wished that he had called Jason back instead. It was Carly. As if his dreams weren't enough, she sounded so much like a little girl lost that it brought all of his guilt surging back into his mind.

He didn't know if he could face her. She tried not to show it, but Carly was still afraid, still scarred by the ordeal she'd been through. She was didn't even remember what had sent her fleeing in her car into the accident that had almost claimed her life. Carly had told him a tale of delirium; she didn't even remember how long she had been lost in the woods. Only by the grace of God had she found an old cabin somewhere in the woods and had broken in somehow, otherwise, she would have died of exposure.

He had almost killed his ex-wife with his selfish actions and worst of all, she didn't even remember the why of it. He didn't know whether that was a curse or a blessing. But either way, Sonny could remember; he'd never be able to forget it. And at some point, he'd have to tell her the truth, wouldn't he? Sonny didn't know how he was going to do it.

-----

It had been a busy morning of phone calls, and Carly lay back in her bed, stretching slowly against the pillows. It felt good to be pampered and catered to again. Bobbie had been in every chance she got, fussing over her like she was a little girl in bed with a bad cold, asking her if she were comfortable, too hot, too cold or did she want a drink.

Carly glanced at the clock at the side of her bed, and true to her expectations, a soft knock came at the door. She carefully fixed her features before calling out, "Come in."

It was all she could do to keep the soft and tired expression on her face as she gazed up into the face of the woman she had grown to hate over the years.

"You wanted to see me, Carly?" Alexis kept her voice carefully neutral.

Carly's voice was just as carefully neutral. Her tone was soft and almost friendly. Almost. And that put Alexis on guard – not that she hadn't been from the moment she'd stepped into the room. "I probably shouldn't be having visitors – I mean, the doctors say I need all the rest I can get. It was a real –" she stopped as though searching for the right word. "…ordeal – that I've just come through."

"You're looking well enough." Alexis answered. In fact, Carly was looking extremely well for someone who had been through an 'ordeal', despite the weak act. And that was all too transparent; but Alexis decided to play along for the moment. "I am curious as to why you called me."

"I wanted to thank you in person."

"Thank me?"

"I've heard how you were by Sonny's side while the search for me was going on. And I'm sure that I'm speaking for both of us, when I thank you for being such a good _friend_."

"Both of you…" Alexis repeated. She was even slightly amused. She didn't miss Carly's emphasis on the word friend, any more than Carly had intended her to. A single eyebrow arched upwards.

"Yes, we're both very grateful to you." Carly continued. "Well, as Sonny's attorney, you've always looked out for his best interests. So I was glad to hear that you were with him. I can only imagine how upset he was when I was missing. He's hardly left my side since I've… returned."

Alexis didn't say anything, but her eyes glancing around the room spoke for her.

Carly's gaze followed hers. "Of course he needs some rest, so I sent him home. Poor Sonny, he was exhausted from sitting by my bedside all day and all night long. He's thought of nothing but me since we laid eyes on each other."

Alexis _knew_ that for the lie it was. For a moment, a flashback of Sonny's haggard face danced before her eyes as she'd seen him a few hours earlier, and the desperation and pain that had filled his embrace rippled through her. Her rage flared as she looked at the woman who had put him through it and had done it on purpose, as she was becoming more and more convinced. More than likely Carly had begged him to stay when she knew he'd need rest. But Alexis wasn't about to let her anger get the best of her. Instead she banked her anger carefully.

"How about you, Carly? Have you gotten enough rest? It must have terrible for you out in the woods. The doctors didn't find any injuries?"

"Well, that's why they want to keep me under observation – when what I really want to do is go home. Home." Carly sighed; rather dramatically, Alexis thought. "I can't wait – I mean, we can't wait to get home. Sonny, Michael and I. It will be good for us to be together as a family again."

Alexis mentally rolled her eyes. Home? If she was referring to the penthouse, then maybe Carly was still delusional. As far as she knew, Michael was still at the brownstone with his grandmother, and there was no way that Carly didn't remember that Sonny had divorced her. So this was the angle Carly was playing. Alexis decided to play along for a bit. "Yes, I'm sure you missed them very much." Alexis put a concerned look on her face. "How many days did you say you were you lost in the woods?"

Carly raised a hand to her brow. It trembled the tiniest bit. "I…I can't really remember that. Time didn't mean anything – I mean everything was one big blur. I can barely remember stumbling through the woods... and being afraid, because I didn't know where I was." She looked up at Alexis. "I don't even know how I got there."

"You were in a car accident, Carly." Alexis reminded her. "You drove your car off of a cliff."

"I know, that's what everyone tells me. Sonny won't talk about it, though. I mean, where I was going, or what could have caused me to have the accident in the first place?" Sonny hadn't brought it up at all, but that's the same as not talking about it, as far as Carly was concerned. "I don't suppose you know anything about it, do you? Maybe Sonny told you something?"

"Maybe you should just wait and let the memories come back to you naturally." Alexis wasn't about to walk into that trap. Carly was not about to get her to tell anything that she could turn around and use as a weapon against Sonny.

Carly frowned. "That's what Sonny says."

"Great minds think alike. And people that are close – like Sonny and I – usually do think alike. Do you know that sometimes we even finish each other's thoughts and sentences? That's how close we've become." Alexis smiled. "But enough about my and Sonny's relationship; we were talking about you lost and alone in the woods. I have to say it, you look remarkable for someone lost out in the wilderness."

"I guess it was my desire to get back home to my family." Carly said, her voice flat. The emotion that should have been there was totally lacking. That and the innocent wounded expression she'd been wearing on her face had been wiped away by Alexis' last comment about she and Sonny.

"I'm sure it was. I know you know how much Michael missed you." Alexis decided to take a gamble. "Michael even thought he saw you one night."

Was that a sudden trace of nervousness in Carly's eyes? Alexis decided to press it. "No one can convince him otherwise. Sonny says he talked to him about it more than once. And Michael insists that he wasn't dreaming or making it up. Isn't that something?"

"It sure is." Carly said. She reached for a glass sitting by her bedside and took her time sipping at it. Stalling. Of that Alexis was suddenly certain. For a moment, she was back in court, facing a hostile witness, ready to go for the jugular, knowing that they were ready to crack. She could tell when a witness like that was not saying all that they could, and she was dead sure that Carly was hiding something. All of her instincts were screaming it.

"Well, I hope everyone leaves him alone about it. After all, I'm back now. And if it gave Michael some comfort to believe that he saw me, well, what harm can it do? What's important now is that we get our lives back to normal."

"Normal." Alexis repeated. "And just what would that be, Carly?"

"Well for me, the most important thing is Michael's happiness. And that means making sure his family is happy. Sonny, Michael and I." She stared directly into Alexis' eyes. "We need to be happy as a family."

Carly was so sure of herself and her plan, it showed in her face. Sonny wants me back now. " She informed Alexis. She was barely trying to hide the smugness in her voice. "He was frantic while I was lost."

"He was wracked with guilt, Carly." Alexis studied Carly carefully as she spoke, and was gratified to see a sudden flare of anger and admission spark into the other woman's eyes. "Don't mistake it for more than what it was."

"Shouldn't I be saying that to you?" Carly shot back without thinking.

"Why is that, Carly? What is it that I shouldn't be mistaking for more than what it was?"

Carly realized her mistake and tried to backpedal. "What's important is for Michael to have his family together the way it's supposed to be."

"Sonny will always be a good father to Michael." Alexis said. "I'm sure I can speak for him when I say that. Anything more than that, well, what is meant to be, will be."

"What's meant to be is Sonny and me." Carly said, sitting up straighter in her bed.

"Is it, Carly?"

"Nothing or no one will ever change that!"

"Not even Sonny?" From the ugly expression that seared its way across Carly's face in reaction to her words, Alexis' intuition hardened into absolute certainty. If Alexis had questioned Carly's memory any time before, she was sure it was faked now. The flash of anger and pure hate in the other woman's eyes told her all she needed to know. Carly remembered that Sonny had divorced her and Carly knew that she and Sonny had been together.

"Not even you!" Carly spat at her.

"Me? I've never had anything to do with what goes on between Sonny and you – and I don't now."

"Liar! You couldn't wait for me to be gone – could you –" Carly's tirade stopped almost as soon as it had started as she realized what she had said. Her words had betrayed herself. Her face flushed in an ugly mix of embarrassment and fury.

Before either of them could say anything else, Bobbie came in the room. She had a meal tray in her hands and sat in down on the table near the door, before crossing the room to open the curtains and let the sun shine in. She glanced curiously from Carly to Alexis and then back to Carly again, knowing that the two of them had never been on the best of terms, but chose to do nothing more than greet Alexis cheerfully before moving to Carly's bedside.

"I'm so glad that the doctors haven't found anything seriously wrong with you. They would have let you come home yesterday, but they knew I just wanted to baby my baby for another day or two." She smiled at Alexis. "It's great to have connections."

"I'm sure it is." Alexis said. "So Carly hasn't shown any signs of malnutrition or dehydration? She ignored Carly's momentary glare.

"Nothing serious; they really are surprised, but I know why." She dropped a kiss on her daughter's forehead. "My girl is strong. Her body did what it had to do even when she didn't. I'm sure it was the thought of Michael is what kept her going."

Carly looked directly at Carly. "I'm sure we all know Michael was her first and only concern."

Bobbie bustled around the room, drawing back the blinds to let the sunshine in, and then came back to fuss at Carly's pillows and blankets, clearly intending on doting on Carly. "But even though the doctors have given her that absolutely amazingly clean bill of health, I'm taking her home with me for the next little while. Sonny agrees with me. Since Michael has been staying with me since the accident, the best thing is not to rock his world any more than we need to."

She sat down next to Carly. "I hope you're still not upset that Sonny did agree with me. After all, Michael has been staying with me since before you were missing. He woke up so many times, looking for you in your old room. I think that would help him with his nightmares for now. And as your mother, I'm not taking no for an answer."

Was the smile Carly put on her face looking a little forced? Alexis' smile widened. There was definitely more than a touch of frustration in her eyes. "Being at the brownstone probably is the best thing for everyone involved, Carly. I'm sure your mother knows best." Alexis paused for the teeniest bit before she added, "Sonny too."


	54. Three Little Words

**FIFTY-FOUR  
****Three Little Words**

Once outside Carly's hospital room, Alexis' momentary triumph at her parting shot dissolved into anger. She found herself almost trembling with pent-up fury. She forced herself to exhale slowly. All the rage she'd been holding inside during her conversation with Carly was in that breath. Alexis knew… she _knew_ … that vindictive little witch knew exactly what she was doing to Sonny, and all that mattered to Carly was that she got what she wanted.

The accident was real, no doubt about that, but everything else, the days her son had missed her, that her mother had been suffered and all the guilt and heartache that Sonny had gone through…it had been all a part of Carly's plan.

Alexis headed towards the elevators, her thoughts centered on what she was going to do with this revelation. She could go straight to Sonny and tell him of her suspicions, but what would that be enough? No, her lawyerly mind argued, Sonny had already put himself in the mindset that he was to blame for all of it. He'd tell her that she was searching for away to get him to forgive himself – and without proof, he wouldn't forgive himself. And Carly would win. She'd have his soul in her hands, maybe this time forever.

She knew that she would have to prove that Carly had put yet one more scheme into action. It wouldn't be enough to accuse her. And besides, she had no intention of denying her self the satisfaction of showing the world just what Carly was capable of.

Alexis jabbed at the call button, swearing softly to herself. She'd known Carly was capable of inflicting pain, but she'd had no idea of the depths that she was willing to go to get what she wanted. By the time Alexis had gotten to the elevators, she was trembling with the fury she felt. And so she didn't even notice the person stepping off just as she was stepping on; consequently she walked straight into a pair of strong masculine arms.

"Alexis… Alexis?" It was a moment before she recognized the familiar voice speaking to her. "I'd hate to be on the receiving end of whatever legalistically lethal thoughts are going on behind those beautiful brown eyes."

Only then did Alexis come to herself and look up into Jax's blue eyes, bright now with curiosity that quickly shifted into concern.

"What happened?" He asked. "Why are you here in the hospital? Are you okay - is Kristina all right?"

"I'm fine and Kristina is fine."

"Physically maybe you are, but other than that - you are definitely _not _all right." Jax said, looking at her closely. He steered her away from the elevators over to the empty visitors area. "You want to tell me what's going on?"

As they sat down, Alexis' eyes fell on the bouquet that Jax had been holding in his hands. They were a bit crushed from their collision and Alexis apologized.

"Do you want to tell me what's going on? Who's in the hospital?" Then her eyes narrowed as she realized who the flowers were intended for. Jax's somewhat sheepish expression as she raised an accusing gaze to his solidified her suspicions.

"Have any poison ivy in that bouquet?" she asked pointedly. "Nightshade maybe?

"Alexis, she _is_ my partner? What am I supposed to do, ignore her?"

"Like anyone could." Alexis muttered.

"Carly's room? Is that where you're coming from?" Jax looked at her closely. "You two can hardly stand to be within the same area code, so do you want to tell me why?"

Alexis hesitated before sharing her suspicions. Jax listened quietly until she was finished.

"Why does it matter so much to you? I've never tried to understand those two and I don't want to understand them."

"You would have never gone into business with Carly if she hadn't have split from Sonny. So it doesn't bother you that she's scheming to get him back?"

"That's a supposition on your part, Mademoiselle Lawyer. And I think the more pertinent question to the case is why is it bothering _you_ so much?"

"I know you don't have much use for Sonny, Jax, but no one deserves to be put through the hell that Carly has put him through. I've seen him. You haven't. The man has gone through the seven circles of Hell since the car accident. And the thought that she machinated the entire thing makes my blood boil. For once, she's not going to get to walk away from one of her plans scot-free."

"And again I ask you, why do you care so much?" He paused and when Alexis didn't answer, answered the question for himself. "Look at you!" Jax exclaimed. "Admit it, this isn't so much about proving what a liar or what a schemer Carly is, than saving Sonny! And for what? For yourself?"

His voice gentled. "I'm sorry, I don't mean to snap at you. I just want you to see what you're doing… or what you've already done. You've fallen for him, Alexis.

"No, don't deny it." Jax said. He raised a hand to stop her protest. " Not to me, or to yourself. I should have seen this coming for the longest time. Sonny Corinthos is many things, but he is also a man of charm when he wants to be. When it profits him to do so. It's one reason why he's done what he's done for so long without getting caught. And I don't like the idea that he's turned his charm on for you."

"It's not like that, Jax." Alexis said.

"Then what is it?" When Alexis couldn't – or wouldn't answer, Jax continued. "I won't lie and tell you I approve. But please, Alexis, don't lie to me and tell me there's nothing going on between you and Sonny. The fire in your eyes and the passion in your voice tells me everything that you're not saying."

Alexis was mute in the face of his heartfelt appeal.

"I don't want to interfere, but you've seen up close and personal, the damage these two do to each other. I don't want you getting in the crosshairs of that. Leave Sonny and Carly to their destructive dance."

"It's not as simple as that, Jax."

Jax smiled gently at her. "Nothing concerning the heart ever is. Is it already at the point, Alexis? Has the master criminal already stolen your heart?"

"Can we just say he's made me an offer I'm finding hard to refuse?"

Jax groaned and laughed aloud at her pun, just as Alexis had intended him to do. She moved closer and leaned her head on his shoulder, smiling to herself as she felt his arm come around her in a comforting hug.

"Have I told you lately how much I love you and appreciate having you in my life?"

"Hmmm… I can't think of the last time, but now – now would be good."

"Consider it said, then." She slipped one hand into his free one, smiling to herself as she felt his fingers tighten around hers. Neither of them spoke for a moment, content to rest in the warmth of their friendship. Alexis drew strength from his solid presence. Even though they might disagree, Alexis knew that Jax would always stand by her.

"I do love you, you know." After a time, Alexis spoke. "And Jax, one of the reasons why is because you've always had a wonderful sense of right and wrong. Can't you – just for one moment – see Sonny as a man who can be and has been hurt – devastatingly so. No one deserves such betrayal, Jax. No one deserves that kind of pain. No one."

"From what I understand, Sonny throws that word – betrayal - around quite a lot." Jax said, still not wholly convinced.

"There's so much about him that you don't understand, and I agree – betrayal does play a big part in what Sonny is and is about…so yes, that's a part of it. But this _is_ a betrayal. One that will devastate him if I let it happen. And I can't- I won't stand by and watch it happen. – and I need your help to expose it."

Alexis lifted her head and looked at Jax. He was quiet for a long, long moment. "You know that I can never turn away when you need me, but Alexis…" He halted for a moment as Alexis pressed soft fingers to his mouth to quiet him. He took her hand in his, kissed her fingers and looking deep into her eyes, continued. "Are you sure that you know what you're doing? Is this what you really want?"

"Yes… and yes."

" I love you too, Alexis. So whatever you want from me – it's yours."


	55. Whispers

**CHAPTER FIFTY-FIVE  
Whispers**

"Thanks for picking me up." Kristina said, as she stepped from the launch onto the pier. Stefan says a storm is set to blow in over the weekend, and suggested that I might be more comfortable on the mainland."

Alexis waved off her sister's thanks. "Not a problem; besides, I know Stefan and his 'suggestions.' Besides, I was glad to get out of the office for a moment."

Kristina linked arms with her as they began to walk. "And get your mind off of work – or Sonny?"

When Alexis didn't answer, Kristina halted in her tracks. "What's going on? Have you had another run-in with Carly?" Alexis had told her sister about the summons from Carly earlier in the week and Alexis knew that every time her sister thought about it, she still was outraged by it. Sometimes, she thought Kristina was more outraged than she, Alexis, was.

Alexis was torn. On one hand, she wanted to give Sonny the space he needed. She didn't want to stoop to Carly's level of schemes and plans. But on the other hand, she didn't know how long she could take seeing the pain he was in. Sonny was still refusing to let her into his heart. She was even starting to believe that he was doing his best to avoid her without appearing to do so.

"Can we just say, I was glad to get a chance to see you?"

"You see me almost every day, Alexis." Kristina pointed out. "When you aren't driving yourself with your work. And don't think I can't see it. You're trying to stay busy so you don't have a chance to be sad. Or is it mad?"

Alexis sighed. "Neither. Both. All right, it depends on the day."

Kristina laughed. "At least you're being honest about it." She paused. "What about Sonny? What are you going to do about him?"

"I don't know. Until I can prove anything, there's not much I can do. Be there, if he needs me – but I don't know if he'll ever admit that –again." Her eyes darkened as she remembered Sonny's voice admitting that very thing to her the night they'd had made love.

"You are going to prove it, I know you are. Carly and her lies don't stand a chance against the truth. And I'll know you'll find it."

"And if I do find it, what then?" Alexis asked. "How do I tell Sonny what Carly did. How do I tell him that someone he loved was willing to inflict that kind of pain on him?"

The thought of the pain Sonny would feel tightened her throat in empathy "What will that do to him?" she asked, her voice a half-whisper.

"The truth will free him, Alexis." Kristina said. "And how ever much it hurts him, you will be there and that will make a world of difference. You're good for him. The best."

Alexis squeezed Kristina's hand. "You're good for me. You're the best."

"Of course I am." Kristina answered with a laugh. "Besides, while you're looking out for Sonny, somebody has got to look out for you. Who better than me? And that reminds me, don't forget…we're having dinner at the Grille tonight.

"You promised." Kristina said, as she saw the start of a protest in Alexis' eyes. "Even though you've obviously forgotten. You need to get out of the apartment and eat some decent food and business dinners with your clients do not count. And when you're home, it's worse –popcorn and cappuccino are not a part of a healthy diet. If you don't – I'll tell Jax. And he can bring over some of his wonderful morning shakes." Kristina pulled out her cell phone and shook it at her sister in warning.

"All right – all right." Alexis gave in before Kristina made good on her threat. Jax and his disgustingly healthy protein shakes. Alexis shuddered in spite of herself. "Dinner at the Grille. Seven o'clock. I'll meet you there."

"Hey Dad! Did you see! Did you see!?"

"I saw you Michael! You did good!" Sonny called back. He and a few boys, sons of some of his men, were kicking around a soccer ball. Sonny stood at one edge of the field, alone, as he'd requested.

The sun was late in the afternoon sky and Sonny checked his watch. "Almost time to go, Michael – your mother's expecting you!" He called out.

"Aww dad!" Michael's response, so typical of little boys brought a momentary smile to Sonny's face. A smile that faded away too soon.

Sonny let his gaze drift away from the playing field for a moment. Away to the west he could just make out the river edge. Sonny could just make out two figures walking from the docks. He fancied for a moment, that it was Alexis walking there and laughed humorlessly to himself. Even if it were – and it wasn't – so what? He wasn't strong enough to make a quick and brutal break, no Sonny couldn't bring himself to say the words that cut Alexis out of his life forever; he damned himself for what must be the hundredth time for his weakness. _It was for her own good_, his mind argued. _Didn't she have enough danger in her life without him adding the curse of his own life to it?_

But even the half-promise of a glimpse of her set his heart to aching, whether he would admit it or not. _Alexis. _Her name whispered through his minds and inhabited his dreams. And that's where her name would have to stay. A whisper in his dreams.

A soft hand touched his arm from behind. Sonny turned quickly, in spite of his earlier vow, half-expecting, half-hoping to see her.

"Sonny?"

His heart fell to splinter into a million pieces somewhere beneath the soles of his shoes.

"Doesn't our son look wonderful?" Carly smiled up at him. "So happy."

Sonny glanced back out at the field, Michael's face as he turned to see his parents together lit up as though a thousand watt bulb had gone off under his skin.

"He's happy kid. He always bounces back, no matter what."

"He's happiest when he sees us together. He'll be even happier when we're all back together at home."

Sonny turned to face her finally. "Carly, we've been over this a million times already. You and Michael at your mother's brownstone; it's the best thing for now. Your mother has taken time off from her job so she can be there for you. She almost lost her daughter. Your son almost lost his mother. Bobbie bore the brunt of Michael's missing you. She deserves this time with you. She needs it."

Carly shrugged. "I guess you're right." She admitted.

"I know I am. And so do you."

Carly turned away to watch Michael and Sonny heaved a silent sigh of relief. He didn't know how he was gong to deal with this situation. Common sense said to just let his life go on as it was. Carly was used to the danger, he was used to Carly – in his own fashion – and most importantly, Michael deserved both his parents together under one roof, didn't he? Didn't he owe Carly something for endangering her life? What was his own happiness besides all of that? He'd never really expected that in his life anyway. He didn't deserve it. Hadn't God proved that to him enough times?

"Sonny?"

He groaned inside. He could tell from the tone of her voice, that Carly hadn't let the subject of 'them' go yet. "Yeah, Carly?"

"How about we meet for dinner? I've been cooped up in the house ever since I got home from the hospital. You, me and Bobbie. A grown up meal, with some grown up conversation. One more happy meal and happy talk, and I'll scream."

"What about Michael?"

"He can have dinner with Jason or Courtney at the brownstone. Neither one of them would mind coming over to spend some time with him, if _we_ ask."

"Fine." Sonny acquiesced easily enough, ignoring her unsubtle emphasis on the "we". Bobbie's presence would make it tolerable, and it just wasn't worth the headache that a flat-out denial would bring. He could already feel the beginning of one nibbling at the edges of his mind. No sleep, no decisions, no release, the cycle kept going around and around and he saw no way out.

Or better still, the only way out, he'd closed the door on.

_Alexis._  
Against his will, her name, her voice, her touch whispered through his mind.

Sonny damned himself once more.


	56. Across A Room

**CHAPTER FIFTY-SIX  
****His Heart, His Mind, His Battle**

"If this is your idea of Dress-Down Fridays- remind me to re-schedule all of my appointments."

"I bet you say that to all of your lawyers."

"Only the ones dressed in black leather and silver… If you knew what I was thinking…" Dark brown eyes flashed in a mix of amusement and appreciation as he took in the sight of Alexis clad in form-fitting leather pants and a black blouse, tailored trimly and striped with subtle gleams of silver. Matching boots and jacket completed her outfit.

"I'd double my fee." Alexis replied dryly. "Or hit you with a sexual harassment suit."

"On one, I'd pay it and throw in a bonus. On two, I'd throw myself on the mercy of the court, _Principessa._"

"You are more impossible every day." Alexis told Mason. Ever since the funeral that wasn't, Mason had been one person she'd been glad to call, well yes at this point, she might as well admit it - a friend. Even though they both knew his interest in her was more than platonic, he'd respected the boundaries she'd put up. Up to a point, that is. He never missed an occasion to make his attraction to her clear.

He always could be counted on to make her smile. And Alexis found she needed that. "I came to make sure you had the documents you needed to get out before the weekend." She suited words to action and handed him a document from her briefcase.

Mason skimmed over them with an appreciative eye. "Every 't' crossed, every 'i' dotted. Intelligent, classy, beautiful, dependable…the woman of my dreams - run away with me, Alexis."

"What, and miss all this?" Alexis gestured towards the windows, where the first few dark clouds were beginning to scud inland.

"Think about dinner in the islands," Mason said in what Alexis was sure was his best alluring voice. "Warm tropic breezes, the song of guitar music playing gently, the scent of a million flowers filling the air, pleasuring your every sense… we could be there in hours."

"Sorry to break your heart," Alexis said lightly, despite the memories Mason's words evoked. Memories of another night full of the scent of flowers and music. "But I already have dinner plans. Sorry."

"You wound me, woman."

"Yes, I can see the pain. The blood and gore – unbearable."

"You're showing your Cassidine blood, _Principessa._" Mason said with a grin.

"You see what you want to see, Mason."

"No." He said with an even bigger grin. "No, I definitely do not."

"And you're about to see even less." Alexis laughed at his expression. "You're slipping, Mason. That was too easy. And on that note, I'm taking my cue and leaving for my dinner date."

"Lucky them…who did you say it was with?"

"I didn't… good night, Mason." Alexis said. She waved at him before closing the door behind her

Their exchange kept a smile on Alexis' face all the way to the restaurant. Even the memory that Mason had brought back to her mind was one that made her happy.

_We were so happy that night,_ she thought to herself as she drove to meet Kristina. _Away from all the cares and worries of Port Charles. We truly were in another world. What I wouldn't give for us to get back to the us that was there again. _

"It was magic." She murmured aloud; Alexis startled herself with the words that came out of her mouth but she quickly smiled. She'd hold onto that, because one day, they'd have it again.

Alexis parked her car and headed into the Grille. Kristina hadn't arrived yet, so Alexis stopped at the bar and ordered herself a drink. On an impulse, she asked the bartender for something fruity and rum-filled instead of her usual Russian vodka martini.

The drink came back garnished with a flower concocted of fruit, with cherries at it's center and topped with a tiny pink umbrella. Alexis twirled it between her fingers as she sipped at her drink and let the memories play.

The sweet sinuous siren song of the guitars as they sang against the sultry night; the heat that trailed between she and Sonny at the simplest touch of fingertips to fingertips…the sweet intoxication of wine-kissed lips and the _pasion fuega_ that burned in Sonny's eyes as they gazed into hers…

"_Don't you think I'm feeling everything you are right now? Everything."_

She could hear Sonny's voice as it sounded that night… husky, wanting, heart-felt and desire filled and she missed him more than she had since Carly came back from the dead.

And then she heard his voice – here – _now._

Alexis shook herself out of her reverie as she caught his voice, even in this crowded room. For a moment, she was confused, unable to differentiate between her daydreaming and reality. Alexis gazed around the crowded room, and from the bar, she could see him seating Bobbie and Carly before taking a seat of his own.

Alexis stole a look at him; he covered it well, but there were still tell-tale signs of stress in his face – was there a touch more of silver at his temples? Were the fine lines at the corners of his eyes a little more pronounced?

"Sorry, I'm a little late." Kristina was at her side, a little breathless. She followed Alexis' gaze and saw Sonny and his party. "We can go somewhere else, if you like?"

"No we're here, we have reservations, and we're going to have a nice dinner.

"Even if it kills us?" Kristina asked mischievously.

"Exactly."

She was conscious of his presence throughout the entire meal, of course. How could she not – every fiber of her body was conscious of his presence. Without trying, she caught the sound of his voice, even through the chatter of scores of others. Alexis listened for the sound of his laughter, but it came too little and when it did, it sounded forced.

She couldn't leave – her soul, her heart was starved for any sight of him, even if it was just across a crowded room, even if this were new steps to the dance the two of them did so well. Alexis knew that Sonny was aware of her presence. That knowledge was like a second skin on hers. She could feel his awareness shift every time he glanced her way, even as he pretended not to. And she was helpless not to do the same.

There was nothing she could do about anything tonight, Alexis decided. Until she had the proof she needed, until she could expose Carly for the liar and cruel manipulator that she was, she couldn't help Sonny to help himself. She should be glad that he at least was out of the penthouse and was eating.

That thought was a comfort to Alexis for the rest of the evening. So despite her concern, somehow she and Kristina managed to have an enjoyable enough dinner. The service was excellent, the food delicious and Alexis managed somehow to actually take some pleasure in it. Any time she seemed about to falter, Kristina seemed to sense it and did her best to bolster her spirits. She actually managed to keep Alexis laughing throughout their dinner.

Kristina really was the best thing for her some days, she told herself. And when her little sister mentioned something about dessert, Alexis was a step ahead of her – surprising the both of them.

"I ordered it while I was waiting for you."

"What is it?" Kristina asked.

"Let me surprise you." Alexis answered.

"You've already done that tonight;" Kristina answered, letting her glance flicker over to where Sonny, Carly and Bobbie still sat. "I don't know how you made it through the meal."

"It's all right, Kristina, I'm fine. Really, I am."

"You're way more patient than I am," Kristina said. "If it were me, I'd be pulling a certain someone's hair out. You _know_ she set this up somehow. Sonny would have never invited her out to dinner on his own."

"Patience is part of my job description. We both know you don't have it – and that's why you're the redhead." Alexis said.

Kristina made a face at her. "Well, this redhead is excusing herself before her patience runs out in other ways. I'll meet you out front." She excused herself and headed for the ladies' room.

He could feel her eyes on him. A caress, a comfort, as warm as a hand on his shoulder, or an embrace of his heart. He'd seen her as soon as they had entered the restaurant. Seen her with his eyes, as well as his heart. How could he not? A flash of sun streaked chestnut hair at the bar had caught his eye as well as the distinctive timbre of her voice as she spoke to the man behind the bar as they passed by.

All through their meal, he said the right things, did the right things, but all along he was aware of her presence across the room. He didn't dare turn his head. If he did, if he let his eyes meet hers…

He'd be lost. It was as simple as that. And so would she.

So Sonny steeled himself to make it through the meal. He owed this to Bobbie. He looked across the table at Carly's mother; she was so happy to have her daughter restored to her. It was clear from the light in her eyes and the happiness in her voice as she and Carly kept up a chatter of conversation.

Carly was aware of Alexis' presence as well. She was smart enough, for once, not to say anything openly. Instead, she was determined to be more charming than ever – which only served to grate on his already taut nerves.

Her attempts to steer their talk onto her and Michael and him as a family were embarrassingly clumsy and heavy-handed. Not that this stopped her at all. Bobbie was just as obviously embarrassed by them, but did her best to keep Carly from pressing Sonny into a corner.

All her veiled innuendos made him regret ever agreeing to this dinner. It was a mistake.. a huge mistake. He'd thought that being out would put a muzzle on Carly, but he really should have known better. His ex-wife was like a dog with a bone when she got an idea into head and she wasn't about to let go any chance she had for them to reunite.

Not for the first time did Sonny wonder about just how much Carly really remembered. Sometimes, he'd catch her looking at him with the most peculiar expression on her face – a mix of love under laid with something else. Even tonight, for a moment, as her eyes flicked across the room to where Alexis and her sister were sitting, he thought he saw something in her eyes…

She caught him looking at her. Carly leaned over and deliberately reached out and took his hands, trying to slide her fingers into his. She leaned in close to Sonny. "Maybe we should go over and say hello to your lawyer."

"Why don't we save that for another time?" Bobbie suggested.

"Why should we, Mama?" Carly tightened her grip on Sonny's hand. "I can't think of a reason why Sonny and I shouldn't go over and at least speak." She turned to Sonny. "Unless you two aren't on speaking terms at the moment? Has something happened to come between you two?"

Why did it seem like Carly was waiting for his answer with some sort of strange expectation? Some sixth sense in him went onto alert; even while he told himself he was jumping at shadows.

Carly had never liked Alexis, and if Carly still didn't remember that she had seen them together, Sonny didn't relish the idea of that particular memory coming back to her at this particular time. And more importantly, it seemed, it had to hurt Alexis seeing him here with Carly – he wasn't going to add to her pain by letting Carly parade the fact that they were having dinner together in front of her. If Carly remembered anything, she would take a huge delight in it; and Sonny wasn't about to do anything that might trigger a memory. Not here and not now. Sonny couldn't think of a worse place for it to happen.

It was just coincidence, Sonny decided. Alexis' presence always brought out the cat in Carly, and it hadn't changed – memory loss or not. He wasn't going to take the chance of anything started. He vetoed the idea, even as he freed himself from Carly's clinging grip.

"Another time, Carly." He knew his voice sounded unnecessarily sharp, but once the words were out of his mouth, they were out.

"Fine." Carly sat back in her chair, visibly pouting. "You two certainly seem to be agreeing a lot lately."

"That's because we both have your best interests at heart." Bobbie said. She held a hand up as Carly opened her mouth to answer. "And before you go off into the argument that the three of us now so well, let's just remember that we were supposed to be having a nice quiet dinner. You promised, Carly. Any excitement isn't good for you, and if you can rest quietly at home, remember the doctors said you can do in a hospital bed being monitored twenty-four seven."

"Fine." Carly snapped again.

"Good. And since, dinner is finished, I'm going to the ladies room and you can come and keep me company."

"Can't you find your way there by yourself, Mama?" Carly asked peevishly.

"Honey, you know it's a ritual, women never go by themselves – it's a woman thang." Bobbie replied, laughing at her own joke. She stood up, waiting expectantly for Carly to join her.

Another muttered "Fine." Came from Carly's lips as she shoved her chair back and stood up. Without waiting for her mother, she flounced off in the direction of bathrooms.

"You can meet us at the door." Bobbie said to Sonny.

Sonny nodded. "I'll call for the car to meet us out front." He reached for his cell phone, but before he flipped it open, looked up at Bobbie, an unspoken thanks in his eyes.

"I know this isn't easy, Sonny. But I do appreciate the effort you're making to help Carly ease through this situation." She reached out and squeezed his hand in thanks.

Sonny didn't answer but returned her squeeze with one of his own.

After the call was made, Sonny sat in silence for a moment. He stood, intending to go straight to the restaurant's entrance, wanting nothing more than to deliver Carly and her mother back to the brownstone and retreat to the solitude of the penthouse. Being this close to Alexis and at the same time being so far… he didn't know how to deal with it.

Sonny stood, his mind telling him what he ought to do, his heart fighting for what he wanted to do. Just one look, it argued, just a glimpse of her… he raised his eyes and found hers fixed on him

_And the battle between heart and mind was lost before it had truly begun…_

And then, without him quite knowing how, he was standing by her table.

"Hey."

Her smile was shaky and the sight of it, the shadow of worry in her eyes that she couldn't quite manage to hide devastated Sonny.

"Alexis, I'm sorry."


	57. Words, Weapons and Wounds

**CHAPTER FIFTY-SEVEN  
****Wounds Weapons and Words**

Alexis saw Sonny headed her way. Her heart jerked out of rhythm. In reaction, she stood. Much too quickly, it seemed. For a moment, the room swung around her and everything blurred before her eyes. Then, Sonny's hand was at her elbow.

"Hey, hey… .are you okay?" Sonny was looking at her closely.

"I...I'm fine." Alexis said after a moment. "I just stood up too fast, that's all."

But Sonny didn't release his hold on her right away. "You sure."

"I'm sure." Alexis cursed herself for her sudden display of weakness. It was just that she hadn't expected seeing Sonny, let alone him actually coming up to her tonight. She over reacted, stood up too quick, and now she was feeling like a fool. People were already looking at them curiously. She reached for her coat, but before she could slip it on, Sonny was taking it from her and holding it open for her.

To refuse would only make her look sillier than she already had; if that were possible. Left with no choice, Alexis turned and allowed Sonny to help her. Did she imagine it, or did his hands linger on her shoulders a moment longer than they needed to?

Stop being silly, she thought to herself as she turned to face him. But maybe she hadn't been imagining things after all. Alexis found herself looking into his eyes. His eyes were as deep and as dark as ever, deep pools of silence when he wanted them to be…like now. But the iciness she'd been seeing was gone; momentarily thawed by their contact?

There was a long silence as their eyes met and held.

"You look tired." Alexis said as she took in the rest of him. Sonny looked more than that, he looked heart-sore and soul-weary, but tired seemed as good a word as any to use between them. An empty pang echoed through her as she sensed the ache that still echoed from him.

Alexis was suddenly unsure of how he'd take any words of concern from her. He seemed to want to distance himself from her, and she wasn't sure why. A flicker of uncertainty bit into her. He was here with his ex-wife and mother-in-law. Something inside her couldn't help but react to that fact. The instinct she had to reach out to him faded in response.

"So do you." Sonny drank in the sight of her like a thirsty plant in a dry land. There were the faintest shadows beneath her eyes; and a trace of hurt in her gaze. Sonny knew he was the cause of them both and the knowing twisted the knife of guilt that was already lodged firmly in his gut.

"I'm meeting Kristina outside." Alexis said. " …I should be getting the car." They stood there awkwardly for a moment, and then Alexis turned towards the lobby.

"Carly and Bobbie are meeting me by the car." Sonny said, moving with her. "I'll walk out with you." To his ears, their conversation sounded – polite. Neither warm nor cold. Just polite. Had it been that easy for Alexis to detach herself from him? It was his fault. He'd never so much as given her a word of explanation. And maybe he would never get the chance. _But isn't that what he wanted?_

Two polite business acquaintances meeting by chance; they maintained the façade as they walked towards the entrance. Alexis paused at the pick-up counter to accept her dessert package. Sonny went ahead to the doors, holding them for her as she exited. The scent of her perfume came to him as she brushed by him and Sonny found himself breathing deeply as if to catch a fleeting memory. He watched as she handed her voucher to the valet.

His car arrived., but Sonny only motioned for the driver to wait.

They were alone for a moment, and another strange little silence fell between them. Sonny was the one who spoke first. "I'm sorry things are the way they are." he said.

"Don't we need to talk about that, Sonny?"

Sonny faltered for a moment in his resolve, but only for a moment. He had lived his adult life as a series of strong moments and hard choices. This was just another one, he told himself. Then why did he feel the need to swallow before he spoke to her? And why did his throat hurt so much when he tried? "I...I don't think that's a good idea."

He knew his words would hurt her, but better a smaller hurt now than a lethal one down the road somewhere. Despite that knowledge, Sonny flinched inwardly as he watched Alexis' eyes as they fell away from his for a moment.

"I can't force you to do anything you don't want to do, Sonny." Alexis said, raising her eyes to meet his once more. "I just wish I understood all the reasons why you're doing what you're doing." She took a deep breath and gathered her courage in her hands. "And most importantly, why are you pushing me away?"

He couldn't answer her, and Sonny could see she hadn't really expected him to.

She only shook her head sadly. "I don't expect for you to answer that. Any more than I understand why you're doing what you're doing…" She left the sentence unfinished, giving him every chance to answer. When he didn't, she only smiled sadly at him.

If it were Carly, Sonny thought, she'd be pushing and prodding and needling at him, trying to find out what she wanted to know. But Alexis, she respected who he was too much to do that to him. She understood and cared too much about the man he was to pry at the boundaries where he wouldn't – or couldn't let her in. _Was it any wonder that he'd fallen in love with her? _

And that was exactly why he had to let her go.

His head told him to just go, walk away, leave her. But he couldn't. _Just another moment,_ he told himself._ We'll stand here, she'll speak. I'll listen to her voice as though it's the last sound I'll hear on earth. The last sound of peace and happiness in my life. Her sister will come out, and she'll drive away. I'll watch her go and she'll take a piece of my heart with her._

But until then, I can't just walk away.

She had turned away from him when he hadn't answered her. Sonny looked at her profile. Not a hint of what she was feeling showed on her face. The only thing that gave her away was the rapid blinking of her eyelids and the faintest sheen of what…tears?

"There … there is something I did want you to know." Sonny began. What he was about to tell her should make Alexis happy. Sonny didn't think he could live with himself, didn't know if sleep would come to him at all this night if he sent her away from him with such hurt in her eyes. The truth was, the sight of her pain would haunt his nights for weeks to come, more than it already did.

Alexis turned back to him, her beautiful brown eyes shining in the streetlights. She made an effort to smile, but bit at her lower lip to stop its trembling.

"I talked to Courtney tonight, when she came to baby-sit Mikey at the brownstone tonight. I'm thinking that maybe he might do a sleep-over with her this weekend."

"That's a wonderful thing, Sonny." Alexis' smile was real now. "I know how hard a decision that was for you."

Sonny was glad to see her eyes light up the way they used to do whenever he'd done something to make her proud of him. The look that told him that he really was the better man she always knew was. She knew what a hard-fought battle had gone on inside him to reach this point.

But she had taught him to be a better man. No, she had taught him to _want_ to be a better man. There wasn't a better way he could think to honor the memory of what she'd been to him than this. _One day, Alexis, I hope you'll see that. _

"I got to thinking about what you told me, and you were right, you know. Michael needs all the people that love him in his life. Courtney is his aunt and he has every right to get to know her as his aunt. And… well, I'm going to try and trust AJ." He ran a hand through his hair. "The truth is, I'm trusting Courtney - not AJ." _And you, he breathed silently. _"Not AJ; not yet."

"It's a first step. Not just about AJ, but about mending the breach between you and Courtney." Alexis couldn't help herself; she reached out and touched his arm.

"Showing her that you trust her is showing her that you really do care about her. That what she says and thinks is important to you. As for AJ, I wouldn't worry too much about it. I think Courtney can keep him in line. And it's not like you won't be having someone keeping an eye on them the whole time."

"That was a no-brainer, Sonny." Alexis laughed softly. "Some things never change – and one of them is your sense of protectiveness."

"Figured that out, did ya?" In spite of his earlier resolve, Sonny felt a flow of warmth at her words and her laughter warmed him from his heart down to his toes. For a moment, it was like old times. The bond they shared was still firmly in place and unchanged. She knew him as well as she knew herself in these times. He could see she was feeling that too.

"You're not going to tell me I'm being over-protective?"

"What? So you can _not_ listen to me?" Alexis answered, taking a chance and daring to tease him. "I wouldn't waste my breath. Of course, if I got started on the lists of your bad habits…"

"…You probably wouldn't be able to stop – and I don't see any brown paper bags handy." Sonny said, an answering smile playing at the edges of his lips.

Inwardly, Alexis felt the faintest flutter of hope. They'd slipped back into their usual easy banter, as though the last little while had never happened. _All we needed was a chance to talk. _She thought to herself. _How can he not see that now?_

Alexis had ordered cheesecake, biscotti and espresso mix for dessert. There was more than enough to share, and she hovered on the edge of inviting Sonny back to the penthouse to share it with her. Would he accept? She hesitated. "I think you won't have to worry about a thing. It will be good for Michael."

"I never thought the day would come that I would think Michael being within ten feet of AJ could possibly be a good thing, but with Courtney there, well, maybe it will work out."

. "AJ within ten feet of _my son_?!" All of a sudden, Carly's voice was shrilling behind them. "Sonny, you must have lost your freakin' mind!"

Sonny and Alexis turned at the same time just as a furious Carly reached them. Bobbie was right behind her, with Kristina a step or two behind. Alexis looked at Kristina carefully. Her normally placid eyes were snapping with anger. Alexis supposed she only had Carly to blame for that.

"What the…" Sonny never got a chance to finish his sentence as Carly turned on Alexis. "And let me guess, you're encouraging this – it was probably your idea. You're as crazy as the rest of your insane Cassidine clan, so I can't say I'm surprised. But Sonny…" she spun back around to face him. "What are you thinking – to let that man anywhere near our son!"

Sonny almost groaned out loud. He hadn't planned on breaking it to her like this. He'd thought that the dinner out would mellow Carly, and then he had planned to talk to her about it on the car ride home.

"Carly – calm down…"he began.

"I will _not_ calm down. My God, Sonny, you're standing here talking about handing that alcoholic maniac our child – we don't know what could happen! Look what he did to Jason – in case you've forgotten!"

"That was along time ago, Carly. AJ has been attending AA meetings at the hospital. According to Monica, he really has been trying." Bobbie caught up with them and tried to appease her daughter.

"Don't tell me, Momma, you knew about this too!?" Carly looked at all of them in outrage. "Is there anybody besides me who didn't know about the plan going on behind my back? Anybody!" She looked around and turned back to Kristina. "You – little miss newfound sister – you had enough to say a few minutes ago – don't you have anything else to contribute?"

"You should talk about plans!" Kristina snapped. "You of all people…"

"Kristina!" Alexis interrupted her sister before she could say anything more.

"You karma must be full to overflowing with bad _khatras." _Kristina said. "I've never encountered an aura as shadowed as yours."

_I don't doubt it – whatever that means. _Alexis thought. "Enough, Kristina – don't waste your breath."

"Yeah, let the lawyer do all the talking – that's what she gets paid so much to do. What was this - Alexis, a freebie for Sonny? Or did AJ flash a little cash in front of you to make you drop your – legal briefs."

The insinuation was crystal clear. Alexis flushed with anger at the insult, but kept her head. "AJ or the Quatermaines themselves don't have enough money to buy me. They never have – even though I understand they are used to buying and selling people who are willing to sell." _Like you, Carly. _

For once, Carly got her message loud and clear. Her face twisted in fury. She wielded her next words like a weapon.

"You would never understand the fears I have – how could you? You've never carried a child in you, never felt it grow. You can't know what that's like."

And then with an almost savage glee, she struck home, with words meant to stab deep into Alexis' heart. "And you know what…you never will. You're just a dried-up old hag – you'll never know that kind of love – you never will because who will love you…"

"Carly…stop it!" Sonny felt his own rage surging up in him. How could so much ugliness come from lips so sweet looking when they wanted to be? He grabbed at her arms and tried to swing her away from Alexis, who had gone pale and begun to shake under Carly's attack. "Are you crazy – are you insane!?"

Carly was almost incoherent in her rage. She twisted in Sonny's grasp to face Alexis, still spitting poison. "This... this is all your fault. This is all your idea and don't think I don't know it. You're using a child – my child to get what you want…and you want my husband!"

Sonny shook Carly angrily. "Carly – shut up!" he roared.

"Shut up?! Shut up!? Does the truth hurt?! She's been manipulating you from day one – and you've been blind enough to let it happen." Carly twisted free of Sonny's hold and turned her fury on him. "Look at you -you're willing to hand over our son to a murdering drunk! If you let the man that murdered our first son have this one too – you're no better than he is – you're just as much a murderer as AJ is!"

Her words echoed in the air and a shocked silence reigned in their wake.

Even Carly realized she'd gone a step too far as Sonny's hands fell away from her suddenly. His face reflected pure shock, then pure devastation; eyes still locked on her face in stunned desolation, Sonny stumbled backwards from her.

"Son… Sonny..." Carly stammered, her rage falling away from her as quickly as it had come. "I didn't mean to… I mean, that's not what…" She fell silent as Sonny flung one hand up to silence her without saying a word.

Alexis stared at Sonny. The blood had literally poured out of his face as Carly's hateful words had stuck home. Before he turned away, Alexis caught a glimpse of his eyes. She didn't think that she had ever seen such raw pain in him as he did at that moment. Now he looked like he didn't see any of them.

She could tell that none of them registered for Sonny after that. They all watched as Sonny began to turn away.

"Mr. Corinthos…?" His bodyguard started towards him, as Sonny began to walk past the car.

"Get them home." Sonny's voice was quiet and flat. And brooked no disagreement.

"But you, sir?"

"Do it." Sonny snarled. He began walking rapidly down the street. Before anyone could react, he turned the corner and was lost to view.

For a moment, no one moved; they were all shocked immobile by Carly's attack and Sonny's reaction. Alexis was the first one to react.

She reached out, grabbed. Carly by the arm, and spun her around to face her. "What is the matter with you." Her voice was almost as cold and flat as Sonny's had been, and the icy rage in it caught Carly off guard.

So off guard that she apologized without thinking. "I'm sorry… it wasn't what I meant to say... I wasn't thinking..."

Alexis' hand tightened on Carly's arm and pulled her closer to her. She wanted to make sure Carly heard every word she said. "You never think Carly… it's always just about you – your wants- your needs. Your tongue is one of your surest weapons and you use it every chance you get to wound anyone who gets in your way. And when you don't get what you want exactly the way you want – you lash out in the most hateful way you can think of and you don't care what you say or who you hurt!"

"Sonny knows I didn't mean it…" Carly looked to her mother for support. "Doesn't he, Mama? He knows how I am when I'm angry."

"Carly, maybe we'd better just go home." Bobbie answered. She could barely look at Carly herself. She too, had seen the utter pain in Sonny's eyes.

"Did you look at his face while you screamed at those words at him. You told him he was murdering his son. Did you see his eyes…" Alexis had seen his eyes and what she'd seen there frightened her. They had emptied of all emotion. No rage, no sorrow – they were so _empty._ That terrified her and fueled her rage all at once. "_Did you see his eyes_!"

Carly's eyes, as they met Alexis' answered her. She'd seen them. And it had scared her as much as it had Alexis.

Then Bobbie was there, laying her hand on top of Alexis'. "This isn't going to get us anywhere." She said to the both of them. "Carly's been through a lot lately, Alexis. I'm sure that's what has been the cause of this outburst."

"Do you, really?" Alexis answered bitterly. But she let Carly's arm go.

"Maybe I should go after him…" Carly began.

"No, I think you've done enough damage for tonight. What we need to do is go home." With a nod to Alexis and Kristina, Bobbie led Carly to the waiting car, talking the entire time to Carly in a subdued, but firm tone of voice.

Alexis stood there as their car pulled off. The adrenalin in her slowly died away, leaving her trembling with emotion. _Oh God, Sonny, what has she done to you. _

Feeling, Kristina come up beside her, Alexis turned to her. "I can't believe that happened."

"I can." Kristina said. "We met in the ladies room. It was – unpleasant to say the least. Then she came out here, saw you and Sonny and Carly went totally ballistic." She paused, here eyes full of concern for her sister. "I know you're worried, but all we can do is go home."

_Was it?_ Alexis turned towards the car. "Can you drive, Kristina?"

"Not a problem. Why?"

Alexis waited until they were seated inside. "I've got a few phones calls to make." She explained, and pulled out her phone.

How long Sonny walked the streets of Port Charles, he never could remember. He'd gone numb inside, dead inside, lost all feelings or capabilities of thought. The only thing he could hear were Carly's words, searing themselves into his consciousness.

Eventually he found himself walking down by the docks. Sonny stood at the waters edge, staring down into the dark, cold emptiness. Overhead the stars were gone, blotted out by the massing storm clouds.

There was movement in the darkness nearby. Sonny turned sharply, not knowing what to expect.

What he didn't expect was Alexis walking out of the shadows towards him.

"I was wondering how long it would be before you came here."

"What are you doing here, Alexis?"

"Waiting for you – what else?" Alexis came a step closer. "Will you trust me, Sonny?"

Alexis held out her hand.


	58. A Secret Journey

**CHAPTER FIFTY-EIGHT**

**A Secret Journey**

Even as he reached out for her, Sonny knew he should walk away. He knew all the reasons why he should just turn and leave, leave now, a part of him screamed…keep his heart safe.

His heart safe? No, her heart; Alexis' heart was the real reason why he should walk away right here, right now, before he had to say anything more that would hurt her. Before anything else he could do could hurt her. His mind listed all the reasons why this was the right thing to do. A little hurt now was better than the infinite pain that could come later.

But even as their fingers intertwined one with the other, once they were face to face again, once Alexis' eyes looked into his, truly, from the moment when she reached out her hand to him, Sonny was forced to see that his heart belonged to her and there was no power on this earth or beyond that could have prevented him from taking it.

"How long would you have waited out here?" Sonny asked, his voice quiet, even while his heart leapt in his chest with this newfound revelation.

"However long it would have taken for you to come." A simple answer that shook Sonny to his core with its unmistakable truth.

"You shouldn't…" Sonny couldn't find the words to tell her what he knew he should to. "After everything I've done to you..." his voice trailed off miserably. How could he ever tell her how sorry he was? A part of him was still troubled. What if he were opening Alexis up to even more hurt?

Looking into his eyes, Alexis read his unspoken thoughts easily. She closed the small distance between them, and raised her free hand to first caress his face and then his lips, silencing him. "After everything that was done to you… I understand, Sonny."

"Why'd you come, Alexis?"

"I-I was going to let you do what you wanted - what I felt you thought you needed to do. For yourself; for your family. And if that meant walking away from me…" Alexis paused to swallow heavily, because even saying those words gave her an ache in her throat from the tears she'd refused to shed… she was surprised at herself how much just the memory of them still was able to hurt her so. "… if that was what you needed, then that was what I had to give you."

"But what Carly said - she's right…" Alexis felt the slightest tremor go through his body. His eyes dropped down to his hands. "You can't see the blood on my hands...but I can...What I am…and what it could do to you…" Sonny couldn't give words to his worst fears, that his life would injure hers.

"Carly is wrong!" Alexis said sharply. "And I will not stand here and let what she said matter one minute. I won't let you let it matter either." Her voice gentled. "I know what you are, Sonny. But I know who you are and that's the thing that's important. And that's why I'm here. Forget about Carly." She squeezed his hand. "Trust me, Sonny."

Still holding his hand, Alexis turned and led him aboard the Cassidine launch. As the boat left the dock, the sound of the rushing water and growing winds made talk almost impossible, but Alexis didn't attempt to talk to him on the short ride to Spoon Island. Instead, she simply leaned into him, snuggling into his warmth; somehow Sonny found himself holding her close in his arms. The rush of the waves and the chill breath of the wind left them insulated from the crew and wrapped up in one another; Sonny found himself not wanting it any other way and found himself oddly content.

To his surprise, the boat didn't stop at the main dock of the island, but instead it circled around to the far side, away from the city. At a smaller, inconspicuous and deserted dock, they disembarked. Alexis reached for his hand once more and Sonny let her lead him along the empty beach.

Overhead, the clouds were gathering in angry deep grey masses that swirled across the sky in an ever thickening blanket that stretched from one horizon to the other. Only a pale glow in the sky marked where the moon fought to shine through, but where it succeeded, sent stray shafts of watery moonbeams skittering erratically along the river's slate grey surface. The first rumblings of an approaching storm echoed distantly, but showed every sign of drawing nearer with each successive rumble. But for now, they growled in the near-distance, the sounds trailing off into silence that remained unbroken except the sound of the wind and the waves.

They stopped at the edge of the water and Alexis turned to face Sonny. "I wanted to give you all the space you needed, all the time you needed to come to grips with everything that has happened." Alexis said. "I wanted you to make your choice freely…"

"My choice?" Sonny echoed, not understanding.

"Carly came back, Sonny. She came back from the dead. Things like that have a way of making a person rethink their choices. I wanted you to be able to make your choice freely - not from any obligation you might feel towards me. Because of…because of one night that came out of nowhere." Having admitted her greatest fear, Alexis dropped her head, unable to face him for a moment.

"Obligation? Alexis - you're not an obligation." His hands came up and took Alexis by her arms. He shook her gently, forcing her eyes to meet his. "That one night didn't come out of nowhere. Don't you remember I told you it wasn't sudden…not for me. Didn't you hear what I said? Didn't you believe me?" _How could she have ever doubted him - even for a moment? _Sonny answered his own question. _ Because of my own stupid selfishness. _

"But that was then, Sonny, and a lifetime has passed since that night. So I had to step back - so you could do whatever it was your heart led you to do."

"It felt like a lifetime since then, yes. But that's because I thought I had to let you go. Not because of Carly - but because of you."

It was Alexis' turn to be confused. "Because of me?"

"I didn't want you hurt." Sonny took a deep breath and admitted the secret he'd been holding in his heart. Because Alexis had been able to share her fears, Sonny found himself able to share his. "Can't you see what my life does to the people around me? My head tells me that I should leave you before I hurt you more - more than I already have... but my heart - my heart never left yours."

"Never?" Alexis whispered. Tears filled her eyes as her voice filled with emotion.

"Never…" Sonny answered, his own voice dropping to a husky heart-felt murmur. The sight of Alexis' eyes, a-shine with sudden tears, broke down the last of his defenses. "Alexis…" Sonny said her name slowly, savoring the sound of her name on her lips. His hands moved slowly up her arms, palms cupping her face. His thumbs traced a light pattern along her cheeks, and then slowly dropped to slide gently against her lower lip. It trembled beneath his touch, and he murmured her name once more moments before his lips captured hers in a tender caress.

His arms tightened around her as his mouth pressed against hers. He drew back momentarily, his breath sighing from his lips. His eyes flickered open to meet Alexis'. Seeing her eyes darkening in response to his touch to him only drove home the point of how much he had almost lost. _How had he thought he could have walked away from her? A part of him would have always been lost without her. _Sonny drew back for a moment to look at Alexis, delighting himself at the sight of her eyes glowing softly, then at her lips as they unconsciously parted in mute invitation, and it was one he couldn't resist. He drew her closer once more; they stood there together, lost in one another until the first serious storm gust swept across the river's edge along with a heavy whirl of icy raindrops.

Reluctantly, they parted. "We'd better get out of this. Before it gets worse." Sonny said, looking up at the sky. The rain began to intensify even as he spoke and a flash of lightning crashed across the sky. To his surprise, Alexis only laughed. "Alexis?"

"We're both crazy, you know!" she shouted over the rising wind.

Sonny only looked at her, still not understanding."Yeah, we're standing outside having a conversation in the face of a storm breaking right above our heads, so your point would be?"

"You still don't get it! You're trying to protect me, I'm trying to protect you and all we did was make a mess of things!" Alexis explained. Her eyes were alight with joy. Sonny could see the love shining out from them and all of a sudden he began to laugh with her. Oblivious to the wind and the rain, as one, they reached for one another.

Alexis slipped one hand behind Sonny's head. "But we're never going to make that mistake again." She said softly but determined, just before pulling Sonny into another kiss. A sweet and loving kiss that made the storm unfolding around them disappear.

It took an ear-splitting peal of thunder crashing almost directly overhead to end their embrace. Alexis took his hand again and pulled him into a quick run up the beach. Through the rain, Sonny saw the outline of a house just ahead of them. They made their way across the dunes, away from the river's edge. A little further and then they were crossing a stone-flagged terrace and Alexis pausing to pull out a key and unlock the door. The cold and the wet whistled in behind them as they stepped inside.

Sonny looked around in shocked silence. With a few simple steps, Alexis had taken him from one world into another; from a cold and blustery night into a tropical paradise that he thought had been lost in the past. But how could that be? Stunned into silence, he stared all around him at the beauty laid out before them. Nearly every inch of the room was filled with greenery. Miniature palm trees nestled in the corners and against the walls, while pastel containers of beige and brown held brightly colored flowering bushes of hibiscus, ginger and flowering butterfly foliage. Mingled with them were a small forest of potted gardenias and fragrant white roses that all co-mingled to fill the air with their heady scents and delight the eye with their presence.

Across the room, there was a space was left before the fireplace, which with its massive size, looked to be the normally dominant feature of the room, but was now dwarfed by the tropical world that had replaced it. Sonny looked at Alexis and she smiled at him, obviously pleased by his response. He watched as she crossed the room, shrugging off her coat as she went, to kneel before the fireplace and kindle the logs already waiting there and presently, the warm sounds and scent of a crackling fire began to fill the air. Alexis rose from her knees to see Sonny still standing by the door. She crossed the room to him.

I'm don't know what to say." Sonny said. He looked around, a smile blossoming in response to the sights and scents all around them. He looked from the flowering blooms to the now-inviting fire and back to Alexis in amazed delight. "I don't have the words…"

"A first for you, I'm sure." Alexis' dimples flashed into view as she smiled up at Sonny. Before he could answer, Alexis began undoing his coat. Once it was undone, she slipped her arms around him and leaned into him. Her eyes fluttered closed as she felt Sonny's arms come up around her again. Alexis sighed, a tiny sound of contentment escaping from her. There were things that probably were waiting to be said, but none of that matter for the moment. What mattered was that she was back where she belonged - in Sonny's arms.

It was the same during the short trip to the island. Except she had been filled such a sense of relief, that it had overwhelmed all else. So much had depended on her knowing that first, Sonny would end up on the docks, and the second, that he would take her hand and trust her. She'd seen the conflicts behind his eyes, even if she hadn't fully understood the why of it then.

Now, knowing that he had finally let her back into his heart, with him here, she could relax; the battle of the day was won. Now all that was left was to win the war. But that could wait for tomorrow and beyond. Tonight was to be all theirs.

"Welcome home, Sonny." At first Sonny thought he'd only imagined the whisper coming from Alexis' lips. But then he felt the vibration from her body as the words came to his ear and knew she had spoken out loud. As she spoke, he felt Alexis' body relaxing into his, and the full import of the pain he'd caused her began to seep into him. There was a hollow space inside him that ached with the knowledge of it. But the warmth of her, the pure sensation of peace and contentment he felt radiating from her slowly filled that empty space, doing away with those painful feelings. His arms tightened around her, and his eyes closed.

He smiled to himself, at peace. As if she sensed the shift in his emotions, Alexis' body moved, as if in response. He felt her hands unlock themselves, felt soft palms firmly spreading themselves slowly along his lower back. But too soon, too soon her warm body was moving away from his own, or so he supposed. Sonny reluctantly let his own hands loosen and begin to fall away. But the expected separation didn't happen. Sonny opened his eyes to find Alexis looking at him, she hadn't moved more than a breath of a step away; she stayed close enough that he could still feel the heat of her body.

A tendril of rain-drenched hair was curled against the sweet curve of one cheekbone, and Sonny reached up to stroke it gently away. His fingers felt her smile before it blossomed across her face, felt the dimples deepening beneath his touch, and very soon his smile mirrored hers. They stood looking deep into one another's gaze, letting their eyes speak in a silent give and take that said so much that words could not.

Sonny could have stood there forever, losing himself in the sable depths of Alexis' eyes, but he felt a shiver go through her body, and realized suddenly, that it wasn't from his touch. The both of them were more than a little soaked. If they didn't want to end up with a cold - or worse, they were going to have to do something about that.

Actually, the thought of getting Alexis out of her wet clothes had a definite appeal to him at the moment. Unfortunately, a sneeze interrupted his thoughts and his intentions. He just managed to turn his head in just the nick of time.

_Ahhh-choooo! _ Sonny had the grace to look a little embarrassed. "Uh… Alexis, as much as I'd like to hold you in my arms in this one spot all night - we're both kinda damp here now."

To his surprise, Alexis' eyes lit up with a twinkle of mischievousness in them, like a playful little girl with a secret.

"I've got that covered." Alexis took a step back and did a small bow, one hand lifting, gesturing to point the way to another room. "If you'll proceed - there, you'll find something to take care of that need."

"Taking care of my needs? All of them." Her teasing enchanted Sonny; he hadn't realized until now just how much he'd missed it; missed her.

"All in due time. First things first." Alexis said. She pointed to the room again. "Off with you, Sonny. Now."

"Giving me orders?"

"My island, my rules."

"Fair enough." Sonny was more than happy to obey.


	59. In The Eye of The Storm

**CHAPTER FIFTY-NINE**

**In The Eye of The Storm**

A short time later, Sonny returned, hands contentedly stroking the fabric of his favorite charcoal grey robe and lounge pants. He was still somewhat bemused at finding them here. Obviously Alexis had gone through some trouble to arrange all of this. That knowledge warmed his heart. No matter what he'd done, Alexis had kept him in her heart. And _that_ knowledge humbled him.

While he was changing, he'd noticed that the storm had intensified outside the cottage, but all that meant was that he and Alexis were cocooned away from the whole world. That idea bothered him not at all.

"Hey Alexis," he called as he re-entered the main room of the cottage. " Have you taken up magic-making along with the rest of your many talents? How else did you manage this…" His words trailed off as he caught sight of her.

Obviously, she'd taken advantage of his absence to work a little magic of her own. Alexis was standing before the fireplace, a slender candle in one hand with which she had been busy lighting a myriad of other ones, adding to the magical already in the room. The entire space was alit from one end to the other with a forest of candles, from big to small, fat tapers to tiny votives.

Alexis turned at the sound of his voice and that was all it took to take Sonny's ability to speak away yet again.

Silhouetted against the dancing flames, outlined by the dancing lights of the candles and framed by the profusion of flowers, Alexis was aglow - a beautiful sight. Sonny had heard of the phrase of 'taking your breath away,' but now he felt what it truly meant. He had to literally force himself to take another breath, because this was an Alexis he hadn't seen. Part innocent, part temptress and all woman, her slender frame was draped in a silk gown of deep golden apricot woven through with a touch of a blush of softest rose blossoming in its ripples and folds. It was overlaid by a gauzy robe of deep gold that seemed to repeat itself against the golden highlights dancing in her hair, reminding Sonny of nothing less than fire and flame.

"Whoa." He said, his eyes taking in all of her in an appreciative look that brought a soft blush to Alexis' cheeks. The smile she gave him was just the littlest bit shy, which did nothing but melt his heart that much more. But as she continue to look back at him, obviously appreciating him as much as he did her, her smile widened and her initial shyness disappeared. Sonny knew the rain had made his hair escape from its usual control, and that he was looking as sensually disheveled as she was…looking as though he'd just gotten out of bed. She was looking the same, and that thought kindled his desire.

Now Sonny noticed what he hadn't taken in before. In front of the fireplace, a great stone piece with jars of gardenias flanking the hearth on either side, a roughly circular space had been left open. A jumble of blankets and floor pillows were at her feet. Sonny drew in a deep breath as his heart leapt at the implications. Then his eyes went back to Alexis as he moved towards her.

"Right back at ya." Alexis said as he came to stand before her. Without his thinking about it, one hand came up to bury itself in her hair, his fingers sliding sensuously through the silky mass of it.

"Mmmm…" She tilted her head into his touch and closed her eyes, obviously enjoying the warmth spreading through her at this simple touch. His eyes roamed over her face, seeing the contentment and satisfaction this small touch brought to her. Entranced by her expression, Sonny reached out and took the candle from her hand,. He slipped his fingers into hers briefly, then allowed his hand to trail slowly upwards along her arm to join the first, tangling itself into her hair and slowly drew her mouth to his.

His mouth moved across hers softly at first, lips re-acquainting themselves with hers. It seemed as though it had been a lifetime since he had held her, centuries since had tasted her sweetness. Sonny's hands slipped downwards through the silky mass of her hair to stroke at the slender column of her neck, thumbs sliding sensuously along her collarbones. Then his fingers lightly caressed her shoulders, enjoying their soft silky curves for a few moments before his arms slipped around her supple body and pulled her close into his embrace.

Alexis' hands were no less busy. From the hard planes of his upper body, she let her palms slide slowly upwards to grasp and hold the strong muscular curves of his shoulders. As his mouth nibbled and began tasting hers with teasing thoroughness, Alexis' hold on him tightened. He always had that effect on her; Sonny's kisses took her out of herself, made her feel like she was effervescent, unembodied like the curl of a wave, swept along by currents stronger than herself.

But it was a sweet enchantment his kisses wrought on her, and Alexis surrendered gladly to its beguiling charm. Unbidden, her fingers crept from his shoulders, caressing his upper back, reveling in the strength she felt beneath her palms and fingertips. Then she let them slide upward into the lightly damp dark curling hairs at base of his neck. As Sonny's lips moved from her mouth to trail a sweet path down one side of her throat, her hands trembled and then tightened unconsciously as a sudden rush of desire poured through her body.

Together they sank down to kneel among the velvet and silken cushions. Sonny slipped the robe from Alexis' body, the gown soon following, his lips softly trailing over the softness of her curves as he uncovered her. Then there were only murmurs of love and desired intermingled as Sonny drew Alexis down with him. Her hands reached for him, traveling over the hard muscled length of his body even as his lips and hands teased and pleasured hers.

The thunder rocked the skies above and echoed the strong beat of their hearts as they joined together in the most ancient of rhythms. Under the rising tides of their passion, they let the storm within them overtake them and lift them to new heights, joining them with the fury swirling in the atmosphere all around them.

Her skin is like spring rain, fresh and cool at first against his lips, slaking his thirst and feeding his soul. Then her flesh was warming rapidly under his touch, a fine sheen of sweat glistening like sweet morning dew. Her body cloud soft against his…

He was like the storm, elemental, unquenchable, a force of nature that could not be tamed or harnessed. The fire and flames blur in her vision, tears of joy blinding her to everything except the face of the man before her.

Then storm within them inundated them in its timeless power, drowning their senses in a flood of sweet sensations. The storm without strengthened, echoing their own upwards spiral and the electricity between them raged as it had from the time of their very first kiss, undeniable, unquenchable, The waves of desire came stronger now, the winds of passion rushing them towards that distant horizon of ultimate pleasure. The tsunami of passion caught them both up in a whirling, spinning wildly loving passion, and then they were crashing against the shores of pleasure to lie exhausted and sated in each other's arms.


	60. New Beginnings

**CHAPTER SIXTY**

**A New Beginning**

It was a slow sweet awakening. The rain still drummed against the windows, but the main force of the storm had passed. Alexis smiled to herself in the pre-dawn darkness. She was curled on one side, facing the fireplace, and she opened her eyes to lazily gaze into the last of the flames still dancing in the fireplace filling the space with a warm and cozy glow. She could feel Sonny behind her, one arm thrown over her protectively. She felt his warm breath against her skin and the rhythmic beating of his heart. It seemed that hers beat in tandem with his.

She snuggled down contentedly in the enclosing warmth of Sonny's hold on her. She smiled to herself. Everything had gone even better than she'd planned. In the car with Kristina, she'd started off by making a few phone calls. The first had been to Jason. The second to Johnny.

_"The question is..." she paused, searching for the words to ask what she wanted delicately. "Is there anything that requires Sonny's immediate attention?"_

_"You know I really can't answer that." Jason was instantly wary. "Why do you want to know, Alexis?"_

_Alexis took a deep breath and plunged ahead. "Sonny needs... he needs to get away."_

_"Why now?" Jason asked. "All he had planned this evening was dinner with Bobbie and Carly..." his voice trailed off. "Carly."_

_"Carly." Alexis agreed. There really wasn't need for any explanation after that._

_"What do you need?" Miracles of miracles, did she actually sense approval in his voice?_

_"I'll meet you at the penthouse." And when she did and outlined the rest of her plan to both he and Johnny, she could tell she had the approval of both men._

_"You're good for the boss." Johnny said when she was done explaining._

_"I have to be." she'd answered simply._

_------_

_And the rest, as they say, _"...was history." Alexis whispered faintly.

At the sound of her voice, Sonny stirred in his sleep; unconsciously he drew her closer to him. Alexis gently turned over and settled herself so she could watch him as he slept. Still half-sleep herself...in a rare moment, she let her own guard down and let her thoughts wander where they would.

She always marveled at the sheer masculine beauty of the man; even when he was asleep the sheer power that was so much a part of him radiated from him like armor. But the ruthlessness that could preceded him like a shield was gone. Her eyes traveled across his now familiar and beloved features, from his strong jaw to the deep dark eyes now shadowed from her by the thick fringe of lashes. Alexis' lips curved in a reluctant smile; it was almost criminal that a man should possess eyelashes like that. Her eyes drifted downward to regard his mouth. It was indecent, the havoc just looking at his mouth could cause inside of her.

She marveled at the change in his appearance as he slept. When the stresses and cares of his life weren't etched upon his face, Sonny had an almost boyish expression. She could see the little boy he must have been once upon a time. Or what a little boy - or girl - of his might look like. Her heart melted a little at the thought and that realization sent a sudden shock through her. Alexis shook herself mentally. _Really, Alexis, _she thought to yourself. _Enjoy yourself, but don't get carried away. _Alexis realized what had triggered her thoughts; the wounded child in her recognized a kindred spirit.

She let her thoughts drift in another direction, recalling the events of the night before. After their initial love-making, she and Sonny had lain before the fire, content just to hold one another without speaking. _I think we both realized how close we had come to losing one another. _Alexis thought. _We're too much alike, sometimes. It's not pride that kept us apart, just the desire not to be hurt anymore. We're both so tired of the hurt._

Without ever having to discuss it, deliberately the two of them had avoided any talk of serious things. Instead, Alexis had produced the dessert that she and Kristina had planned to take home, and she and Sonny had had an impromptu picnic right there in the midst of their cushions. Then Sonny had made love to her until the candles had burned themselves into utter extinction and they had fallen into the sleep of total satiation.

Alexis went back to studying his face, reflecting on the long history that had brought them to this point. History... His story. When he was asleep, the story of his life was barely visible. She was rarely able to watch him so totally at rest unnoticed. Now she couldn't get enough of the seeing. When she watched him like this, Alexis could imagine the man Sonny could have been if not for the choices life had forced him into. The faint lines in the corners of his eyes, softened now in sleep, the slight brush of silver at his temples, all of it bespoke of life lived under extreme - extraordinary - pressures.

_But it was extraordinary pressure that creates diamonds,_ Alexis thought lazily. Extraordinary pressures that would have crushed many others into dust had instead created the incredibly complex man the man who lay beside her now. In the beginning, she'd hard it hard,if not impossible to reconcile the man who, of necessity had a certain ruthless side that at the same time seemed totally at odds with the man who had a gentle heart that very few people were allowed to see. Diamonds started out as merest lump of coal to create an exquisite unmatchable substance that endured forever. She thought of how much had Sonny had to endure, what incredible pressures had been brought to bear on his life beginning at such a young age, and here lying beside her was the result. Unpolished, perhaps, but a jewel, nonetheless.

The whimsical thought curved her lips into a soft smile and that was sight that greeted Sonny as he opened his eyes.

"Hey." His voice was sleep-filled, but still captivating.

"Hey, yourself."

"You were watching me sleep."

"Actually, I was simply enjoying the novelty of being with you without you having a single word to say." She lied. As she spoke, Alexis felt the warm pressure of Sonny's arm begin to move, smoothly, sensuously; Sonny's hand began to softly caress her skin. His fingertips danced softly along her spine, leaving a thrill of goose bumps wherever they touched her.

"Is that a fact?" Sonny asked and laughed aloud, a rich happy sound that made Alexis' heart to leap in her chest in unconscious response . "Well, I was pretty speechless last night. You, on the other hand, were pretty darn vocal." He laughed at the soft blush that crept up on her cheeks. "Not that I'm complaining." His hand moved up, fingers caressing her flushed cheeks and playing with the edges of her hair, tangling the silken tresses between his fingers.

His voice dropped to a loving murmur. "Do you have any idea how desirable you look right now?" Before she could answer, his hand had slipped deeper into the mass of her hair, cupping her head and pulling her towards him into a thoroughly indecent morning kiss, one that started slow and sweet and gentle, but deepened into an intimacy that left Alexis breathless..

Sonny ended the kiss reluctantly, Then he smiled and a spark of amusement lit up his eyes. "No, I'm not complaining at all." he said. "But you, Lex, have some explaining to do."

"I do?"

"Like how you managed all of this?" He waved his hand around the room. "This was absolutely magical."

"You like?"

"I like. A lot."

"You're not the only one who can work a little magic when you need to." Alexis said with a smile of her own.

"And you knew just what I needed?" His eyes held hers gazing into hers with such intensity that Alexis couldn't speak for a moment. Sonny answered his own question. "Of course you did. Even when I don't know what's best for me, you do, and you fight for that - you fight for me."

"It's nothing that you wouldn't do for me, right?" Alexis cupped his cheek with one hand, then let her fingers trail along his shoulders, her fingers slipped a little lower and Sonny jerked in response. "Ticklish, Mr. Corinthos?" She experimented with a second flicker of questing fingers and Sonny snatched at her wrist. Alexis squirmed out of his grasp and went at him again, this time with both hands. "The things you find out when you're not expecting it." she said with an teasing laugh.

Sonny reached for a pillow to swing at her, but opened himself up to a frontal attack that Alexis took full advantage of. She dove at him with both hands, and Sonny roared in helpless laughter as she found just the right areas to torture him. He finally managed to swat at her with a pillow, then pounced on her in retaliation, his hands searching out Alexis' own vulnerable spots. He found one particularly sensitive point just under her ribs and laughed in triumph as Alexis squealed in protest.

They spent the next few minutes in a loving tussle there among the velvets and silks, laughing and giggling like two kids. Sonny might have been the stronger physically, but Alexis had the more nimble fingers. And it turned out Sonny was much more ticklish than she was. She was winning until Sonny maneuvered himself in a position where he could capture her mouth with his. He knew how to kiss her in such a way that Alexis forgot to struggle, forgot to breathe, until her arms reached up to hold him close and Sonny too forgot everything else but the taste of her mouth and the feel of her body against his.

"That was so not fair, you know." Alexis said when she was finally able to speak again. Sonny's only response was to lift one lazy eyebrow at her.

"When have I ever promised to play fair, Alexis?"

"You have a point." she conceded with a tiny grin.

"Since you agreed so nicely, I will be the gracious loser. Whatever you command, I will obey."

To Alexis' immediate embarrassment, her stomach spoke for her. Loudly.

"Her majesty has spoken." Sonny said with a chuckle. "What shall it be?."

Alexis sighed. No sense in pretending it didn't happen. "To tell the truth, I was hoping for some of your croissants and coffee."

Sonny cocked his head towards the window, where the raindrops still danced in the wake of the storm. "That might take awhile. It's a long way from my kitchen."

"You don't have to go that far." It was Alexis' turn to laugh. "Check the kitchen, Sonny."

"Why Counselor," Sonny leered at her, eyes aglow with such a light of mischief that Alexis was reminded of her earlier thoughts of Sonny as a boy. "Is that an invitation?" he asked.

_What a handful any child of his would be_ she couldn't help but think. _Those dimples would get you every time. He deserves a daughter - someone who could match him dimple for dimple._ Why was she thinking so silly? she asked herself. _It must be lack of sustenance_.

Meanwhile, Sonny's expression made it clear that he was deliberately misreading her words. Alexis tried for a frown, failed miserably, and he laughed aloud at the attempt.

"Not the kind you think... the kitchen, Sonny." She pointed the way. "Where you cook."

"I can cook where ever I am, Lex. Thought I proved that already." Sonny leaned in for another kiss, but Alexis' stomach growled again in protest. "Uh oh, I think that was a warning sign." He snatched up his pajama bottoms then his robe and stood. "I'd better see what I can find. From the way someone's stomach is talking, things could get real ugly otherwise." He looked down at her. "You always did get cranky without your morning coffee."

"Do not." Alexis said, just before she flung a pillow in his general direction.

"What do you call this attack?"

"I call it - never mind what I call it. Shouldn't you be in the kitchen now?"

"I hear and obey." Sonny sketched an elaborate bow in her direction and walked away into the kitchen.

As she heard the sounds of cabinets opening, Alexis took a moment to rebuild the fire with a few fresh logs, then snuggled down contentedly into the cushions, wrapping a coverlet around her. She looked around to see Sonny standing in the kitchen doorway.

"I found my private blend in your cabinet, Alexis. And a coffee grinder that looks suspiciously like mine's. I see your plan now... this was all a scheme for you to get your regular breakfast delivered by yours truly. I had no idea you were so devious."

"Well, as an officer of the court, I won't sit here and perjure myself by saying I didn't miss your cooking."Alexis said. "Just remember the lengths to which I'll go to get what I want."

"Oh, trust me, I won't forget anytime soon." The warmth in his smile told her it was more than just the coffee that they were discussing. Alexis smiled back with perfect understanding.


	61. Safe From the Storm

**CHAPTER SIXTY ONE  
****Safe From The Storm**

Their breakfast together was a happy time. Sonny, of course, had gone into the kitchen and worked his own particular brand of magic. After a short time, he'd emerged, bearing a tray loaded with a mouth-tempting array. Croissants with butter, fresh ground coffee brewed from Sonny's own private stock, "Just think of it as more magic." was all Alexis would answer to his query as to how she'd gotten it. The coffee was perfection itself, hot, rich and aromatic, laced with heavy sweet cream for Alexis, and black for himself. And there was more cream, whipped into stiff peaks and dusted with thin-shaven chocolate curls to accompany the strawberries and sliced peaches, nestling plump and juicy and rich in fragrance in their china dishes. Sonny and Alexis took turns feeding each other, in between kisses and laughter and utter sense of joy and contentment.

"Not another bite." Alexis finally declared, after Sonny tried to tempt her into "just one more" strawberry.

"But you know how I feel about you and strawberries," Sonny reminded her. "It's a work of art to watch you eat one."

"Why do you think I had them in the fridge?" Alexis answered with a laugh. "No, Sonny," she said as he waved it temptingly in front of her face. "You'll have to roll me off the island." she groaned.

Her words evoked a sudden silence, reminding them both that they would indeed, have to leave the island eventually. The world, even though it had disappeared last night, was waiting for them today.

"Maybe I should check in with Jason.." Sonny began.

"No," Alexis said. "Jason knows where you are and that you're with me. I made it clear that of course if there was any emergency that he was to contact you immediately, but..." She stopped and blushed again.

"But."

"I told him that we'd be back today, but that in the meanwhile he wasn't to allow any emergencies to happen until we returned to Port Charles."

"He wasn't to allow...." Sonny repeated her words slowly. He blinked in surprise. "You gave Jason orders?"

"Johnny, too. But they weren't orders...they were more like requests..." Alexis bit her lower lip, suddenly feeling more than a little embarrassed. "You don't mind, do you? Did I overstep my bounds?"

Sonny reached out and took her hand. "I don't mind at all. I'm just surprised, is all." A realization came to him. "You told Jason I was here with you?" It was the first time she'd publicly acknowledged them being together. It had just been Jason, but still....

"And Johnny." Alexis admitted. "How do you think I got ahold of your favorite coffee and your favorite grinder and your favorite robe? Johnny was guessing on that last choice, though."

"He guessed good. So just how quick did you whip all of this together?"

"It started from the time you walked off in front of the restaurant. And by the way, you should thank Kristina very prettily the next time you see her for giving up what was supposed to be dessert for her and I and ended up being our midnight brunch."

"I'll make it up to her." Sonny promised with a grin. "In the meanwhile, I've got better things to occupy my mind. We may have to get back to PC today, but it's early still. Nobody has called you, and nobody has called me. I say we make the most of it."

"How so?" Alexis tilted her head in a way that made Sonny smile again. He reached out and brushed her hair away from her face, unable to resist any excuse to touch her.

"Let me get the remains of our breakfast cleared out of the way, and then maybe we can think about dessert."

"Dessert? After breakfast? But we ate most of it last night...didn't we..." Realization came into her eyes as they locked with his in sudden understanding. "Oh. Dessert."

Sonny smiled.

------

Dessert had actually come sooner than either of them had planned. Sonny had had every intention of tackling the kitchen immediately, but Alexis had mentioned something about a shower... and what had started out as a shower for one quickly turned into a shower for two, which had taken them from the shower to the bed and back again, so it wasn't until much later in the morning that Sonny had found himself in the kitchen.

Barefoot and clad in a pair of old, familiar and faded denim jeans, with nothing more than a blue apron declaring "Kiss The Cook", Sonny hummed happily as he washed and then dried the kitchenware and then proceeded to wipe the counters down. Always at home in a kitchen, he was feeling particularly domestic today. Whoever had stocked this kitchen - and he was sure it had not been Alexis, really knew their stuff. He could create one great meal in here. He wondered how long it would be before they'd be able to escape back to this place.

He'd been awed to see what lengths Alexis had gone through to recreate their island night. He'd joked about it being magic, but it really had been. Somehow, Alexis had been able to break through to him, in spite of all his earlier resolutions. He'd been wrong, Alexis had known it, believed it, believed in him, in spite of all he had said and done, and had fought for him. even if it had meant fighting him. Sonny was really glad she'd been the winner. Because of her, they both were.

Sonny looked out of the kitchen window. The rain had finally stopped and the clouds were beginning to clear from the sky. It still looked raw and chill outside though, and Sonny was in no rush to go out in it. Or return to Port Charles."All we need is another storm." He said aloud.

He and Alexis could curl up in front of the fire and just be together for a few more hours. The world could wait.

------

Alexis, dressed in a blush-colored sweater and a pair of old jeans sat before the mirror, slowly brushing her hair into some semblance of control. She smiled as she listened to the sound of Sonny busy in the kitchen. In mid-stroke, she paused and looked into the mirror, cocking her head first this way then that, trying to see the difference that she felt inside. She felt a completeness, a rightness that she'd never felt before.

She laid her hand over her heart, feeling the strong rhythmic beat of her heart. She stared at herself in the mirror. Who was she now? She felt different and she didn't know why. _What you're looking at is a woman in love. _The thought came to her without warning. Was that it? This feeling of utter peace and contentment? She'd loved before; Alexis knew she'd loved Ned Ashton. She'd loved him with all of her heart. Or so she had thought. But what then, was this feeling that was so new and different, she had? Alexis was fulfilled in a way that she'd never experienced before.

Shaking her head, Alexis rose from her seat. _I'll live in the moment._ She decided. _I will not question this, I will not overthink it. Whatever it is, it is real and good and fine. _"If I love him, then so be it." She murmured aloud. Alexis watched herself as the blush crept into her cheeks at this admission. "I will love him with all that I am, for as long as I can, and it will be enough."

Alexis returned to the main room of the cottage. Sonny was still busy in the kitchen. She could hear him singing softly to himself in Spanish, obviously just as content as she was. Alexis began to pick up the covers and fold them, attempting to put the space in some sort of order. For a moment, she could fantasize that they were two ordinary people and this was just a ordinary moment in an ordinary day. All of her troubles were far away and nonexistent. And right outside the door.

And suddenly. there came a knock; before Alexis could do more than turn, it was opening. "Stefan."

"I see you have taken me up upon my offer." her brother began. A smile was half formed on his face, but fell away as he heard the masculine singing coming from the kitchen. A moment later, Sonny appeared in the doorway. The two men gave each other a long, measuring glance. Stefan looked from Sonny to Alexis. The bare feet, the casual dress, the scattering of the cushions about the floor and the altered landscape of the room told Stefan more than he wished to know.

"I see you've found shelter from the storms." He said to his sister. Stefan's expression didn't change, but by the brief glint in his eye, Alexis knew from years of experience, that his displeasure was very very evident. But he'd never display such emotion in front of a stranger. "I worried about you; I called your apartment and spoke with Kristina. And now I see the reason for her evasiveness that I did not understand before."

Without realizing it, Alexis' chin lifted as though in challenge. "You did say that I was welcome here any time, didn't you?" she asked. "If that has changed...."

"Of course it has not, Natasha." He followed his words up with a quick burst of fluid Russian. _"Nor do you need to clear any guests with me. But I will admit to my surprise in your choice of house guest."_

Alexis replied in Russian, then repeated herself so that Sonny would understand. "Yes, Stefan, _my_ choice. I am glad to see you understand that."

Stefan inclined his head briefly. "Of course. As for Kristina, when I return to the main house, I will inform her that you are indeed...safe from the storm. And that she should hear from you presently" .Stefan flicked his glance over Sonny once more and then back to Alexis. "She will, won't she?"

"Before the morning is done, Stefan." Alexis answered.

Stefan nodded. "Very well. I won't intrude upon you any longer." At last he acknowledged Sonny's presence. "Good morning, Mr. Corinthos. And good-day." Before Sonny could respond, Stefan was gone, shutting the door quietly behind him.

Alexis was still standing in the same place she'd been when Stefan had let himself in. She sighed aloud. "It wasn't as though I were trying to hide anything from him.. hide _you _from him," she said as Sonny came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her. "I just didn't expect for him to know this soon."

"Does it matter?" he said as he nuzzled his face into her hair.

Alexis sighed. "Not really." She turned in his arms. "Not at all. He is right about one thing, though."

"And what would that be?"

"I am, indeed, as he said, safe from the storm. Right here in your arms."


	62. Stealing Joy

**CHAPTER SIXTY TWO  
****Stealing Joy**

"All right, let's have it?" Kristina said as she followed Alexis back inside the apartment.

"Weren't you on your way out?" Alexis asked. The return home had been uneventful, except for the fact that Kristina had opened their front door just as she and Sonny had stepped off the elevator. Sonny's bodygurards were just changing shifts, Johnny coming on to replace Max, so there'd been little time for anything else between Alexis and Sonny except a last glance and a smile, but that had been more than enough.

She and Sonny had both changed back into their usual style before returning to PC, and no one would have thought anything about their simultaneous return to their penthouse level. No one except Kristina, of course, whose eyes were bright with curiosity... and something else.

"I was heading down to L&B, but that can wait." Kristina said with a grin as the door shut behind them. "Alexis you are positively glowing! What happened - or do I need to ask?" she asked slyly.

_Glowing?_ Another Alexis would have blushed, but today, all she could do is bask in the pleasure her memories brought her. She could still see Sonny in the hallway; the warmth in his eyes and the pure happiness in his smile was echoed on her own face. Still captivated by the sense of contentment she knew they shared, Alexis drifted over to her desk and sat down. She picked up the pile of envelopes and went through the motions of sorting through them. She wasn't really seeing any of it though. Or really listening to Kristina, until she repeated her name a few times.

"_Alexis!" _Kristina said for the third time. "I knew it! Look at you, you're practically purring." She threw her arms around a startled Alexis. "I am _so_ happy!"

Alexis felt an irrepressible urge to grin back at her sister. "You're happy?"

Kristina let her go and practically danced around the desk. "I'm happy because you're happy, can't you tell? Everything is in alignment in you, Alexis. I can see it in your face, I can feel it in your aura. You're bubbling over with joy."

"Bubbling." Alexis repeated with a dry tone in her voice. "Me, bubble?" _Maybe that's the right word, though. _she thought to herself. She did feel a little like a bottle of soda pop, filled to the brim with a million tiny little bubbles rising to the top and ready to explode. The image caused her to laugh a little out loud and shake her head. Kristina could be so contagious in her exuberance at times. "I am happy. Is that enough?"

Kristina made an exagerrated frown at her, following quickly by another one of her soul-dazzling smiles. "There you are, letting your Cassadine genes kick into gear again. For you, happy takes on a whole new meaning - so yes, it's enough."

"Thank you for that." Alexis put the stack of envelopes down. Her Cassadine genes didn't trust happy. Happy never lasted. She got the sense of stealing joy from the fates. But she wasn't going to question it. Today was today. And today she was - well, happy. And if that was stealing joy, then so be it. "Let's just say that Sonny and I resolved some issues, and the both of us are happy."

"Only you could use the word happy, when what you really mean is joyful, euphoric, ecstatic!" Kristina laughed as Alexis just shook her head again.

"I'm happy, Kristina. I had a lovely time with Sonny. We had a lovely time, and as I told you, we're both - happy. And as lovely as that time with him was, that was then and this is now. Now is coming back to the real world, and doing my job. I'm sure I have a plethora of messages just waiting for my attention. And i do believe you have work of your own to see to" A not so-subtle hint that Kristina cheefully ignored.

"Well, Stefan called last night. Jax, too. Both of them mentioned that they'd tried calling your cell phone first, but couldn't reach you." Kristina eyes still sparled with remembered merriment. "You have no idea how persistent the two of them can be."

"Oh, yes I can." Alexis said. "I don't envy you dealing with their phone conversations one bit."

"Oh, I managed. After all, it was all for a good cause, wasn't it?" Kristina winked at her. "Jax called again this morning, though. I was surprised that Stefan didn't."

Alexis wasn't surprised at all. After all, he'd found out exactly how she had weathered the storm.

Kristina continued. "Jax wants you to call him as soon as possible. He said it was about business. That's what he said." The tone in her voice said Kristina thought otherwise.

"You don't think he suspected anything, did he?" Mentally, Alexis shook her head. That was a cloud in her sun-filled day, and a complication that she didn't want to deal with. Stefan with his questions and opinions, would be enough.

"I couldn't tell for sure, but don't worry, he didn't seem to suspect a thing and I didn't tell him anything that would make him think anything."

"Thank you."

Kristina glanced at her watch. "Now, I really have to go. Ned will have something to say about my being late. But it was worth it."

"Worth it? Why? I didn't tell you anything."

"You didn't have to. You still don't. I told you, you're glowing, Alexis. And it's wonderful to see you this way. I hope this happens a lot more often." A last laugh and a last hug, and Kristina was out the door.

Laughing out loud to herself, Alexis tried to turn her attention to her desk and the business waiting for her.

_Stefan called. _He may have not called back this morning, knowing that she wasn't there, but by now, he knew she'd left the island. Sooner or later, he would contact her. This was a call she was not looking forward to. _Call me a coward, if you will,_ she thought to herself, but that is one conversation she was going to postpone having for as long as possible. Kristina had been right. She was feeling all of the things her sister had said. Happy, joyful, euphoric - there really weren't enough words in the dictionary for what she felt. And dealing with Stefan would undoubtably steal some of her joy. And that was something that could defintely wait.

Her eyes dropped to the phone. Jax was another problem, but in all probability, not as much as the one her brother would be. After all, Jax hadn't seen she and Sonny in such an obviosuly intimate scenario. In spite of herself, Alexis' lips curved at the thought of Jax's expression if he'd been the one to walk in on them.

But Jax was like enough to Stefan to want to know where she'd spent last night as well. Thankfully, she wouldn't have to lie to him. She spent the night out at the island. That was true enough. And he'd assume that she meant Wyndemere. But Stefan on the other hand, knew exactly where and with whom she'd spent the night.And given the chance, he'd have plenty to say on the subject, and Alexis could be fairly certain that little of it, if any, would be good.

Jax, on the other hand, wouldn't pry - if she didn't give him reason to feel the need to. And that means, Alexis sighed mentally, getting in touch with him and calming his worries as soon as possible. But facing Stefan first might be the better choice - like a dose of medicine - better to get it over with quickly.

Just as she reached for the phone, the reciever rang. "I was just about to call you."

"And I suppose I'll pretend to really believe that."

"My hand was over the receiver just as you rang." Alexis insisted. "But fine, don't believe me. You're always thinking you know it all. Cocky Aussie." she teased him, slipping into her best Australian accent. "What you need is to be taken down a step or two, me fine lad. And I'm thinking to be the one to do it."

"Careful now, my mother can probably hear you a world away and get herself on the first available flight to the states." Jax said. Alexis could feel his smile through the phone. "She always did approve of you as a wife."

"Have I told you lately how much I adore your mother?"

"Do I detect unwarranted flattery?"

Time for the preemptive strike. "Being that you don't believe that I was indeed in the actual process of returning your call, I decided it might be appropriate. Although if you don't, shall I call Lady Jane myself and mention how long it's been since she visited?"

Jax loved his mother, but she - and her ambition to see Jax settle down 'with a _nice girl' - _could be a bit overbearing at time. The silence on the other end of the line suggested he was digesting that very same fact.

"What are you doing for lunch today? I had a proposal I wanted you to look over. It's something that I've had percolating for a little while, but an opportunity has come up and I want to forge ahead on it." Success. Jax was changing the subject.

"What am I doing today? Working." Alexis said. "For clients who make appointments."

"It's an emergency." When Alexis didn't answer right away, he amended his words. "Okay, more like urgent. But it is something I need looked at this afternoon. I have a hunch..."

Jax's hunches were other people's high risks, but his hunches were usually right and usually paid off beautifully and bountifully. Which is why he was who he was. "Jax, how urgent?" Alexis asked, "You have no idea how this storm has mangled my appointments. It's probably done the same to my clients, all of whom will probably need to see me - immediately. _All _of them.

"It makes me tired just thinking about it. Due to the storm, I didn't get much sleep..." _But not for the reasons you might think. _Alexis tried to keep the laughter out of her voice. "... and I have a long hard afternoon in front of me. I haven't even begun to check of my phone messages."

"Alexis?..."

"Jax?"

"_Alexis...."_

He was so _not_ going to wheedle her into giving in. "Jax, I haven't even checked in with my office yet. Lunch isn't even an option."

"Then don't check in. Not yet. Like you said, the storm has wreaked havoc all over town. Postpone it all - just for a little while and see me first. Tell them your messages got scrambled, take a shower and then.. then meet me for coffee and dessert. Shower, coffee, dessert. Me. Tell me that doesn't sound enticing enough?"

Alexis clapped a hand over her mouth to stop herself from laughing out loud. _A shower, coffee and dessert?_ _Oh Jax, you have no idea just how enticing that sounds._ She struggled for a moment more, felt herself losing the battle; then unable to hold her laughter in another moment, she hit the mute button for a second, and let loose for a few self-indulgent seconds. Then she hit the talk button again.

"Alexis? Alexis?" Jax was saying... "are you there?"

"I'm here," she reassured him. "It must be the storm's effect on the phone lines." Alexis smiled as she asked forgiveness silently for the little white lie.

"Well, will you take my advice?"

"Disregarding the fact that it is totally self-serving?"

"Of course."

"Very well," she glanced at her watch. Meet you in an hour?"

----

"So what was this emergency?" Alexis said as Jax slipped her tranchcoat off of her shoulders and draped it over the back of her chair. The weather had brightened momentarily and she hadn't needed it. She slid into the seat opposite Jax, and turned to give her order to the waiter who instantly appeared at her side. When they were alone, Jax began to explain.

"An option suddenly came open on a prime piecce of real estate in Chicago. I need for you to look over the terms and see if you can't sweeten them a bit. But I am in a bit of a time constraint. They want an answer within forty-eight hours."

"Chicago?"

"The Magnificent Mile, no less."

"I guess this is the point where I should be impressed." Alexis held her hand out. "Let's see these oh-so-urgent pieces of paper."

Having gotten his way, Jax grinned at her indulgently and handed over a folder from his briefcase without a word. For once he didn't even comment on her choice of caffeine over anti-oxidants when it arrived. He even went so far as to pour her cream and to order a selection of pastries for her approval. Alexis quirked an eyebrow at his actions, but getting only a shrug and a smile from her favorite ex-husband, turned her attention to the sheaf of paperwork before her. She sipped at her coffee as she began to go over the documents. She stopped at the top of the first page.

"The Crowne Plaza? Now I am impressed." As Jax intended her to be; the triumphant grin and gleam in his face said it all. There was the challenge of a high-risk new deal in his eyes...nothing else brought out that particular twinkle. In spite of her earlier protests, Alexis could feel a thrum of adrenalin begin to flow through her own veins; she loved a challenge like this; a battle of wits and words, of give and take and compromise but still being the one coming out on top. Jax knew her well enough to laugh as he saw the answering battle-cry echoed in her eyes.

Alexis knew what a possible coup this could be for Jax; the Allerton Crowne Point Plaza was a historical landmark and famed for it's upscale accomadations. Getting a foothold inside of its prestigious precincts was quite a coup. She'd stayed there more than once when on business trips for the Cassadine concerns and remembered reveling in its understated yet luxurious opulence. "Just what business do you have with a hotel in The Gold Coast district?" she murmured as she continued reading.

A little further down the page and Alexis paused, then softly laid the papers back down before looking firmly into Jax's eyes. Her coffee cup hit the saucer with a definite _click. _"You want me to help broker a business deal for you and Carly? Have you utterly and completely lost your mind?"


	63. Intuition

**CHAPTER SIXTY THREE  
****Intuition**

"It's not what you think." Jax was quick to say.

"You don't know what I think, Jax." Alexis answered. "Do you think she'll thank you for bringing this to me? Not to mention the fact that I don't need the aggravation."

"It's a good business deal. We have a chance to get in and open up our own club. Do you know how rare an opportunity this is? You know this is just the kind of deal I go for all the time...if Carly weren't my partner, odds are I'd go into this venture myself."

"She's your business partner here in Port Charles, Jax. Since when is she involved in anything anywhere else?"

"Because the truth is, the Chicago location was her idea. These papers were messengered to me this morning, and the first thing I did after recieveing them was to call Carly with the good news. In good conscience, I can't freeze her out of the deal now."

Alexis made a small sound of disgust. "Good conscience. As if she possesses any trace of one."

"I know how you feel about her - and why, Alexis." Jax said. He wisely didn't bring Sonny's name into it. "But there's no proof to what you allege. And I got to thinking, after our phone conversation, about how much my mother loves me. There's nothing like a mother's love, Alexis. When you're a child, it's a constant in your life...even when you grow up, that love never changes. Ever. Can't you see that... do you even remember?" He realized what he'd said and flushed in embarassment."Alexis, I'm sorry."

Jax had spoken without thinking; Alexis knew that. Even so, her eyes dropped away from his for a moment. "I know you didn't mean it the way it sounded. After all, it's a valid question. I lost my mother when I was so young, and then I had the original wicked stepmother to grow up with."

"Alexis... I didn't mean to bring it up. You know I would never ever hurt you on purpose."

Alexis covered his hand with hers. "I know you didn't, Jax. It's an old hurt and I've learned to deal with it. But I'm not letting that color my perceptions of Carly and any aversion I have to working with her. I don't trust her, Jax. It's as plain and simple as that."

"I find it hard to believe that any mother - even Carly with all of her faults, could deliberately hurt her own son that way."

"With Carly, you just never know." Alexis said. "So I take it, that your investigators haven't turned up anything yet?"

"No, not yet." Jax hesitated."There was something though. I didn't know if I should tell you or not. One of the investigators thought that this undertaking included checking on Carly's wherabouts in present time. Sometime last night, after Bobbie had left for an emergency shift at GH, Carly left the brownstone."

"And you don't think anything odd about that?"

"A car came for her, Alexis. Now who do you know who would send a car for Carly? Do I have to spell it out for you?"

He mistook her silence for an admission. But Alexis didn't answer because she knew it hadn't been Sonny, but realized Jax didn't. And she wasn't ready to share what they had shared with anyone - not even her beloved Jax.

"It was Sonny that sent for Carly." Jax answered himself.

"And did your investigator confirm this?"

"They couldn't. The storm got too bad and they were forced to take shelter for themselves. And by the time they could reorganze after the worst of the storm had passed, Carly was back home."

"So you don't know - one - where she went.Or -two - who she was with." Alexis said, ticking the facts off on her fingers. "Look, Jax. I used to find it hard to believe that Carly was capable of any number of things that she's done in the past, Jax. But frankly, I've learned - a lot of people have learned one way or the other - that Carly is capable of anything - if it gets her what she wants. And what she wants is Sonny."

"And maybe that's what she got last night."

"Maybe not." Alexis answered as nonchalantly as she could. She changed the focus of their conversation deliberately. "Are you going to call off your people or keep them on the secret of Carly's whereabouts as well as this newest development?" More than ever, she was sure that Carly had secrets that needed uncoverig. Her intuition was screaming it at her.

"No, I won't call them off. Not yet. Not until we find proof one way or the other of where Carly went or who she was with - in both cases. That shouldn't be too hard to find out." Jax looked at her for a long moment."I just don't want you hurt in the process. Are you sure _you _don't want to call this off now?"

"Positive, Jax." Wherever Carly had gone and whoever she'd been with, it had _not_ been Sonny. So what had tempted her enough to venture out in the face of a storm? "Like you said, I'm not ready to give up - not until there's proof one way or the other - in both cases."

----

There wasn't much to say after that. Alexis gave in and promised to look over the proposal. They finished their meeting in an amiable enough mood. Jax walked her out to the curb. Overhead, the sky was greying up once more and the wind seemed to be blowing sharper in fitful gusts of air. Not seeing her car, he asked if he should hail her a cab.

"It's not necessary... I actually walked over from my office." Alexis shivered a little. Forestalling Jax, she shook her head. "And I'll walk back. I do my best thinking when I'm walking, and I do have thinking to do, don't I." she teased him, shaking her briefcase at him. "I'm not made of sugar, so even if it begins to rain again, I'll be fine. I even have an umbrella in my briefcase."

"Fine, I know better than to argue with you." Jax said, for once, not fighintg with her. He took her coat from her, lifting it up. "At least let me make sure you're bundled up - I won't argue with you - if you won't argue with me."

Alexis made a small frown at him and laughed as she began to turn around obediently. But before she could, a fierce blast of wind snatched the coat out of Jax's grasp. It spun away from them and landed in the gutter - just as the valet pulled up with Jax's car, running it over. Jax groaned and Alexis laughed.

"See where your chivarly got you?"

"Are you going to let me drive you back to the office?"

Alexis shook her head. "I told you, I have some thinking to do."

Jax sighed dramatically. "Fine, Ms. Davis." To her surprise, he slipped his own coat over her shoulders. "Do whatever it is you need to do. I will take your coat to the cleaners, seeing how I've run it down, so to speak... and you - without argument - will wear my coat back to the office. We'll manage an exchange say, maybe over dinner at your place sometime this week? Deal?"

"Dinner?" Alexis shook her head. "You drive a hard bargain. Or else you're losing your touch. Dinner at my place. Have you suddenly developed a death wish?"

"I said at your place. Nowhere did I suggest that you cook. I'll call Kristina and see what the two of us can come up with."

"For that remark, I should double what I was going to charge you for this."

"You were going to charge me?" Jax smiled at her - all too innocently. "They always said ex-wives were all about the money."


	64. Intentions

**CHAPTER SIXTY FOUR  
****Intentions**

Sonny sat at his desk in the penthouse, double checking the latest coffee contracts due to go out. The rains had started again, but it was a steady gentling murmur outside the windows, not the wild torrents of the night before. Balancing out the last set of figures, he sat back in his chair with a conteneted sigh. .

Content. When was the last time he'd felt this way? His life was usually filled with shadows and storms and he was used to that. But last night's storm had dawned into a beautiful day. Despite the grey skies still overhead. Sonny smiled. Who said that something about every dark cloud having silver linings? Well, his very own personal silver lining had come looking for him. And for that he thanked the heavens, stormy or no.

For forever long it lasted, today - _now - _he was content.

A knock came at the door, and Sonny swiveled in his chair towards it. "Come." he called out and was welcomed by the sight of his son bursting through the door and running straight into his arms.

"Hi Dad! Surprise!!"

"Whoa!" Sonny said with a laugh as he swept Michael into a great hug. "What a great surprise!" His gaze went up from his son to see Carly coming in the door. Without even trying, he could see the calcuation in her smile. Unconsciously, Sonny compared it to the last smile Alexis had given him before they parted today, an open-hearted smile full of genuine happiness and wondered how many times he'd never noticed the difference before.

Michael hugged him back. "You're not busy are you?"

"I'm never too busy for you, Michael." Sonny looked at Carly again. "Hello, Carly."

"Hello, Sonny." Carly said. She didn't stop at the door, but walked inside and made herself at home on the couch. "Michael and I were out on a walk and we thought it might be a nice idea to drop in and say hi. Especially since it was dinner time and all. I thought Michael might miss a little bit of your home cooking."

Michael twisted around in Sonny's arms to look at his mother, then back to Sonny. "But what about Grandma Bobbie? She said she fixed a special dinner for Mom, with all of her favorites tonight." Micahel rambled on. "It was Mommy's idea - we were way across town. It was raining, so Mommy wanted to go shopping instead but when she looked at the time, then she wanted to come here."

Just as he had thought; another plan of Carly's. Her intentions wer transparently clear...if that wasn't enough, she used their son and his love for his father to do it. Sonny didn't let his irritation show. "I have a great idea, Michael. Since Grandma Bobbie went through all the trouble of fixing Mommy a special meal, just for her...how about _you _stay and have dinner with me? We can make meatballs - _your _favorite - and Mommy can go have dinner with your grandmother. You and me son , we can have a mano-y-mano evening."

Sonny looked up at Carly. Purposely, he kept the smile on his face from reaching his eyes. "I'll have him home before bedtime."

Michael was clearly excited by the idea and unfortunately for her, Carly could not find a way quick enough to talk herself back into the invitation for dinner. Sonny called out and Johnny opened the door. He gave orders for him to see that Carly was taken home to the brownstone.

Johnny himself volunteered.

----

After her meeting with Jax, Alexis returned to her office, but not necessarily to work. Unfortunately for her and her fellow occupants, the storm had managed to do some damage via water leakage. Her very competent secretary had organized the transfer of the majority of their paper files to a safer location, while the electronic files had been messngered to her penthouse. However, there had been a few things Alexis had known she'd left on her desk that she'd wanted to get. It was late enough in the afternoon, that Alexis decided that after she'd gotten her research folders, she'd call it a day. She was still deliciously sore from her previous evening's activities, and she could go home curl up on a couch with her favorite socks and sweats and get the same work done.

She busied herself at her desk, collating papers into a few folders before slipping them into her briefcase. But before she could make her escape, her secretary announced a late visitor. Alexis sighed inwardly as Stefan entered the office directly behind her.

He looked around at the boxes and packing materials scattered about before taking a seat in one of the pair of soft leather seats facing her desk. "It seems your refuge isn't much of one." Stefan remarked with a wry sense of humor. "Much less comfortable than your last, I'm sure." A sure referral to their last encounter.

Having made his point, Stefan immediately switched about and came at the same subject from another angle. "I called Kristina; she was the one who told me more than likely that you were here. However when I called, your secretary assured me that you were out of the office. Did you really go through the trouble of relying on her to keep my presence at bay?"

"I really was out of the office, I've only just returned from a meeting with a client.. And I was on my way home." Alexis said pointedly.

"I'm glad. I didn't think Kristina was lying, but I must note that she was more than a bit evasive last night. She's usually such an - exuberant - young woman."

"Totally un-Cassadine, you mean." Alexis commented.

"And I find it refreshing. It's fortuitous that she escaped Helena's influence." Thinking of her own upbringing, Alexis could only agree.

"She's free of the duplicitiousness that the rest of us, even Nikolas, I'm afraid, take for granted. For instance, when I called to check on you last night as the storm worsened, she seemed - uncomfortable - discussing your whereabouts. Therefore I didn't press her. Of course, in the morning, I learned the reason for her discomfort."

Alexis looked across her desk at her brother. "What is it that you want - or expect - me to say, Stefan? I'm not a child to be chastised."

"What I want is an explanation of what's happening between you and this American thug."

"Would you rather he were European? Greek, perhaps? And he's not a thug."

"I would rather he were not a criminal at all."

"Sonny Corinthos could no more avoid his destiny than you could yours. Haven't you said that birth and breeding create the man? I heard you explaining that to Nikolas once, when you were explaining his position. That principle works both ways."

"He lacks in both." Stefan said.

"And that's where you're more wrong than you know. Micahel Corinthos is a man who walks tall and strong in a world of power and influence. His word is respected by all who know him - allies as well as enemies. He excels in his world in spite your definition of birth and of breeding." Alexis smiled and then laughed softly. "If you could only see how very much alike the two of you are."

Stefan's expression said clearly that he was affronted by the comparison. "Are you going to sit there and tell me that his life doesn't expose you to danger? A man like that must have powerful enemies."

"My own life exposes me to enough danger all on its own. May I point out that my being his attorney and living in a penthouse where he owns the building does afford a certain measure of security." Alexis said. "A very high measure of security. I sleep very well at night."

"In his bed?"

"Stefan!"

"As you've stated - you are not a child." Stefan said unapologetically. "It's obvious that you are more than just his attorney, Alexis. Just what are his intentions towards you?"

"Intentions?" she quirked a slim eyebrow upwards at this question.

"Are his intentions towards you honorable?"

"I'd love to see you ask him that." Another smile touched the corners of her mouth as Alexis imagined the scene.

"I'm glad I'm able to amuse you." Stefan answered; his disapproval was written clearly upon his face. "Perhaps I should ask your Mr. Corinthos myself."

"Stefan, Sonny is never anything but honorable."

"Then, if he is, I ask again, what are his intentions towards you? Are you a fringe benefit of his need for your legal expertise? Americans tend to be very - lackadaisical about their - liasions - if one can even call them that. I will not see you used and then tossed aside, Alexis."

"He's not like that." Alexis put away the last of her folders into her briefcase and then stood. "I wish I could explain it to you. Sonny and I are kindred spirits. Even though we grew up in two very different worlds, there is so much about him I understand, and so much he understands about me.

"Sonny has been proper and correct, honorable and respectful towards me from the day we met. I expected no less from the very beginning, and very rarely has Sonny disappointed me on that count. If it eases your mind, this has not been a long term situation - our - relationship - achieved a new level only recently. And it was quite mutual. Beyond that, I apologize, but I refuse to discuss the matter any further."

Stefan stood also, then came around her desk and studied her face closely, looking deeply into her eyes. "I thought I understood you well enough, Natasha."

Alexis thought she detected a rare note of sadness and loneliness in his voice. "You were the first to do so, Stefan. I have never forgotten your championing me against your own mother. You are a part of my earliest memories of the island, the only part that made life there bearable. You were my hero, my golden-haired cousin who could do no wrong. And to discover that you were my brother was a joy that I could never put into words. When we fought after that, it wasn't so much as the Cassadine estate that I was fighting for a share of, but my rightful place beside you, as your sister, your equal. I wanted you to be proud of me."

"I was always proud of you, little sister." Stefan said to her. "You showed your true bloodline. Even as we fought, I was still proud of you. On a certain level, I suppose I knew what you were fighting for.

"As for your American paramour, I can see that further discussion would be fruitless at this point. Perhaps I would find your loyalty heartening at any other time, but I will not lie to you, Natasha, and say that I am neither pleased or satisfied with the situation as it stands." His expression softened. "But this is only becaue I want for him to be worthy of you."

"And he is, Stefan.On that I would stake my life."


	65. Things Unexpected

**CHAPTER SIXTY FIVE  
****Things Unexpected  
**

Alexis' mood had lightened by the time she'd arrived home. Despite Stefan's disapproval, she knew that he spoke and acted only out of love and concern for her. She only hoped that she would be able to stop him from actually confronting Sonny. Although it might be interesting to see an Old World - New World encounter, the outcome would probably not be a very good one, either way.

She pulled into her parking space in the Towers' garage and noticed that Sonny's car was in its place. That meant he was upstairs, at home. Wonderful. First she'd change out of her office clothes, and then maybe she'd drop by and see if Sonny was in the mood for company. Since she wasn't planning on going to the office until the tomorrow afternoon, it wouldn't matter how late she stayed up tonight.

She slipped out of the car, retrieving her briefcase and laughing to herself as she adjusted Jax's trenchcoat around her. She hoped he'd gotten home before the downpour had begun. Otherwise, he ws going to be soaked. That White Knight syndrome was going to get him into real trouble one of these days. But it worked out for her. Maybe she'd have it messengered to him tomorrow with an appropriate gift to go along with it. That brought a mischevious smile to her lips.

While Alexis pondered the gift possibilites that she could tease Jax with, she started towards the elevator leading to the penthouse level. Which is why she didn't notice Carly until they were no more than a few steps apart. Alexis nodded, willing to be polite enough, and would have kept on going except that Carly stopped directly in her path. She motioned for the bodyguard to continue on to the car, telling him she'd be there in a minute.

"Well, well, Alexis; it looks like the news reports were right, seems like the storm stranded people in unusual places all over Port Charles."

Whatever was she talking about? Alexis thought; then she saw Carly eyeing her up and down carefully, and realized with jolt of quiet amusement, that Carly had fastened onto the fact that she was wearing a man's coat. She stood there, wondering where Carly would go next. Knowing Carly, there was one place she would defintely try to go. Alexis decided to hand her the rope that she would hang herself with.

"Was that what happened to you?" she asked.

Carly glanced back to the elevators and then significantly at Alexis. "What do you think?"

"I think you're just leaving Sonny's."

"And that's all?"

"Should I think there's more?"

"You're a lawyer, Alexis." Carly all but sneered. "Make your own deductions. A sudden storm, the city shut down.. two people alone, insulated from the storm. I can't think of a more intimate way to spend an evening.. to spend an entire night. You do remember that Sonny has that great big fireplace right in the living room."

"I am a lawyer, Carly." Alexis figured that this had gone on long enough. "And I deal in facts. And the fact is, you didn't spend the night with Sonny and we both know it."

"What makes you so sure?" Carly said scornfully. "Do you really think you have that much influence on him, or that I don't? You'd be surprised at the choices two people alone can make on the spur of the moment. Oh, I forgot - you wouldn't know anything about that kind of passion. You're way too analytical to imagine anything spontaneously.

"Look at you - tricked out in some man's coat! You were out all night yourself - you couldn't possibly know where Sonny spent the night - or with who."

"But I do know where Sonny spent the night." Alexis answered coolly. "He spent it with me. And not in his penthouse, either."

She watched as Carly's face went pale, first with shock, and then flushed red with fury. "You're lying!" the other woman hissed angrily.

"Why would I bother?" Alexis asked her. "I don't have the irrational need that you do to prove anything to anyone. I certainly don't feel I have anything to prove to you."

"Explain the coat, then!" Carly charged her recklessly, her anger making her irrational. "Don't tell, me, a concerned client? Is that what you're going to _explain_ to Sonny? He won't believe it - he'll believe you betrayed him. And where will you be after that. Once Sonny realizes what you've done, you'll be out of this penthouse and out of his life!"

"Because I'm wearing Jax's coat? I doubt it." Alexis answered her. "In my briefcase, I have the papers concerning the Crowne Hotel proposal. No doubt Jax spoke to you this morning about it?" She got her answer in Carly's sudden silence. "Well, after he spoke to you, he spoke to me and we met. Easy enough to prove - even without a court of law."

"Or, there's another way to prove it very easily." Alexis answered "Let's go upstairs and you can ask Sonny yourself, if my word isn't good enough." When Carly didn't move, as she knew she wouldn't, Alexis shook her head. "No Carly, the liar here would be you. And I don't know why you bother." She stepped around her and continued walking towards the elevators. She didn't turn, even when Carly let loose with a tirade of hatred.

Behind her, she heard Carly's voice, mingled with equal parts of hate and fury. "Why don't you just disappear, witch! Disappear back to your bastard Cassadine roots!"

Alexis stepped into the elevator and let the doors slide shut behind her, cutting off Carly's voice.

A muted blare of Latin music greeted her as she stepped off the elevator. Curiosity got the best of her and Alexis crossed the hall and knocked on his door.

Sonny answered a few moments later. "Hi."

"Hi yourself."

Just then, Michael's head popped up from behind the door. "Hi, Alexis."

"Hello, Michael." Alexis greeted him, then turned her attention back to Sonny. "Well, what's this, an impromptu party?"

"Yeah, Michael and me are having us a night. We're making spaghetti and meatballs."

Michael put his two cents in. "_I'm_ in charge of the meatball making." he said importantly. Alexis grinned and congratulated him.

"Michael, you could probably show Alexis a thing or two about making them, too."

"Are you any good at making meatballs?" Michael asked innocently. Knowing Alexis' ineptitude anywhere near a kitchen, it was Sonny's turn to grin.

_And he'll pay for that one later, _Alexis thought to herself. But she smiled at Michael and shook her head in apolgy. "I'm afraid I'm not the greatest meatball maker."

"I can teach you how." Michael decided. He looked up at his dad. "Do you think we have enough to share?"

"I'm pretty sure we do, Michael." Sonny was surprised, but happy. He looked up at Alexis. "Are you up for some spaghetti?"

"You have to like spaghetti." Michael declared. "Everybody likes spaghetti. My mom likes it too, but usually when she makes it, it comes out of a bunch of cans. I like my dad's spaghetti better. You will too."

"Well, I guess, I'll be learning how to make meatballs tonight and having spaghetti. Sounds delicious."

Alexis and Sonny smiled at each other.

----

It was late the next morning when Kristina let herself back in the apartment. She leaned over and did a few leg stretches before calling out Alexis' name. She heard an answering call from upstairs.

"Alexis, you really should have come with me on that run." She called up the stairs. "One way to work off that huge amount of pasta we all put away last night."

Alexis laughed as she came down the stairs. "If I remember right, it was you and Michael who had third helpings."

"I couldn't help it... it was so good." Kristina said with a laugh amd a groan. "I know you said that Sonny could cook, but I didn't know that he could _cook_."

Dinner had turned into a foursome. Kristina had arrived home just as Sonny was welcoming Alexis through the door. Michael had been instantly entranced with another red-head and he and Kristina hit it off immediately. Dinner had been a fun affair. The laughter started as they formed the meatballs under Michael's expert supervision and continued through to from the time they sat down around the table until the end of the meal.

"I thought you were working from home this morning." Kristina said.

"And the morning is almost over." Alexis said. "Actually, I received a call from the office. I have to meet some insurance adjusters and inspectors there about the storm damage. And I have clients who have their own damage claims they want checked." Her cell phone rang out. "Lots of clients." Alexis commented.

At least it as one of her more favorite ones. "Hello, Mason. I assume you got the message from my office."

Kristina made a face at this sound of his name, stuck her tongue out at Alexis and then ran upstairs laughing. As far as she was concerned, Mason was after one thing, and it wasn't Alexis' legal expertise. She laughed at his attempts to woo Alexis - when Alexis chose to share them. Alexis shook her head and turned her attention back to her phone call.

It was Mason. They'd had a meeting scheduled, but with all the rush-claims from her other clients, she tried to beg off. She should have known better. He insisted he would be quick, but Mason insisted on stopping by. Learning that she'd be in the office in the afternoon, he insisted on coming by. "just to see for himself, that she was in good shape."

----

True to his word, Mason was there shortly after two o'clock. "Bearing gifts." he announced as he stuck his head around the door to her office. Alexis soon found out what... a lush armful-sized bouquet of daisies - topped by a brightly colored pocket umbrella.

"Showers bringing spring flowers, or something of the sort." Mason said as he sat the vase down on the edge of her desk. "Although from the look of you, you don't need much cheering up."

"And as always, you know the right thing to say - and do - to charm a woman." Alexis said. She stood up to take in the immense display. Alexis moved the umbrella from the display, smiling at the bright pastelly colors, then bent down and breathed in the fresh airy scent. "Thank you, Mason."

"No thanks necessary." Mason said, his voice suddenly very close behind her. Alexis straightened and turned, and found herself unexpectedly in her arms. "Unless," he murmured softly, "you haad a different sort of thank you in mind."

Before she could react, Mason brushed his lips againsst hers. When she didn't respond, he merely smiled and stepped away. Alexis thought it would be an awkward moment as they stood there regarding one another in silence. But Mason was the first to break it with one of his indefatiglble smiles and a shrug.

"You can hardly be surprised at that." he said. "I've made no secret about the fact that I'd like to get to know you better than either just a client or a friend." Mason looked at her closely. "But I can see it's all been for naught."

The twinkle in his eye gave a lie to the sadness in his voice. _Which was more real?_ Alexis wondered, and not for the first time. What lay beneath his always smiling expresiion? He'd never made it a secret that he'd wanted something other than a client-lawyer relationship. Had she led him on somehow, without even knowing it? Alexis searched her memory.

And Mason, reading her expression, laughed at her. "No, my beautiful lawyer, it was nothing you did, I promise. Nothing except be yourself." He walked away from her and sat himself down on the couch. "I wonder why I've never really had a chance... could it be your heart already belongs to someone else?"

"I'm not accustomed to discussing my personal life with my clients.." Alexis began.

"I thought we were friends, Alexis." Mason chided her."I'd apologize, if I thought it would soften your heart."

"Or if you really meant it." Alexis said. She should be angry with him, but somehow she couldn't quite get there. "But Mason, we may be friends, and I've appreciated your efforts to be one, but we're not on the level of friendship you obviously think we are."

"I made no assumptions, I only acted on hope. You can't blame a man for trying. I tried, I failed."

"And now that you've failed? - and you have failed, let me make that perfectly clear."

"I bide my time and remain in your good graces by doing so." Mason replied. "And just so you know, you're being as clear as glass. And as transparent."

"Transparent?"

"I know very well that there's someone else who's putting that sparkle in your eye. If it isn't me, who is it? I promise not to tell." Mason leaned forward and gave her a large conspiratorial wink.

"Who would you tell - if there were anyone to tell?" Alexis said, laughing at him in spite of herself.

"That's for me to know and for you to find out." Mason said. "See, I have you laughing, _principessa_. So I know that all is right with the world again. As long as I can make you smile, there's hope."

Alexis shook her head. "You are hopeless - but I'm sure I've told you that before."

"A hundred times, at least. But I am hopeful - not hopeless. If you would only let me take you away from all of this, the marvels I could show you. The secrets you could learn."

Once again, Alexis didn't know whether he was joking with her or not. With Mason, she'd learned, one just never knew. She was saved, by the bell. Her telephone, to be exact.

It was Kristina on the other end. Her words spilled out in a torrent. "I hate to call you at work, I know you're busy but..."

"It's all right, Kristina." Alexis immeditaely picked up on the worried tone in her sister's voice. "What is it?"

"Stefan called." Kristina told her. "He was going to come by, but then I told him you were out seeing clients. Then he asked about Sonny. He asked a lot about Sonny - and you. I didn't quite know what to say - or not to say." Kristina paused for a second. "I'm sorry, Alexis." And Alexis could hear the fuill load of contriteness in Kristina's voice. "I didn't mean too, but I think he got more out of me then I meant for him to!"

"It's okay, Kristina, don't worry about it. I should have guessed he would come to you and warned you." Alexis said.

"It's...just that I'm not very good at lying and deception."

"Don't apologize for not being a Cassidine." Alexis reassured her. "That's one thing Stefan and I just recently agreed on...that your lack of Cassidine scruples. And we're both glad of it.. and of course, it's pure Stefan that he would find a way to use that fact." Alexis smiled in spite of herself.

"It's just that he's feeling protective over you, Alexis." Kristina insisted. "Big brother and all that."

"And as a typical Cassidine male, he believes he knows what's best."

"He loves you, Alexis."

"And I love him.. I always have, even when he was being his most exasperating. Like he is now."

"Well I think you're going to be more exasperated."

"Why is that?"

"If I'm not mistaken, Stefan changed his mind and decided to go have a little talk with your Mr. Corinthos."… Kristina paused. "Someone's at the door. Hold on."

Alexis heard muffled voices on the other end of the line. When Kristina came back on the line, her voice had changed and a thrill of unease went through her.

"Alexis... "

"Kristina...what is it?"

Kristina's voice had gone trembly soft..."Alexis...Alexis... you'd better get home...please come home...oh please hurry... the police are here... they... " Her voice failed for a long moment and Alexis' blood inexplicably chilled in her veins . "... the police are here. There was an explosion down n the docks. Stefan's car and driver were there... They think he was in the building when it blew up.."


	66. A Price To Be Paid

**CHAPTER SIXTY-SIX  
A price to be paid**

The universe shifted and Alexis no longer knew whether up was down or left was right. The world spun crazily on its axis; light blurred and danced crazily in her vision while the floor tilted away sickeningly beneath her feet. _She was going to be sick, oh God, she was going to be so sick_...

Then there was a strong grip holding her, guiding her when she couldn't see to put one foot in front of the other. And then there was the solidity of furniture beneath her. But the world wouldn't stop spinning...

"Alexis..." his voice seemed to come from so far away... Sonny? Her mind asked and rejected all at once. If not him, then who... something chilled was pressing against her lips. She swallowed instinctively and was grateful for the cool water as it slipped down her throat. It's soothing realness helped Alexis center herself. But with that came a fresh wave of pain.

She lifted a confused gaze to Mason's. "What happened?" She was seated on her leather sofa, Mason kneeling at her side, holding the glass.

"Are you all right?" he said, looking at her concernedly. "I think you fainted for a moment."

"I don't faint." Alexis replied automatically. ""What happened?" she repeated - but even as she asked, she knew the answer. She wanted it to be all in her imagination, but she knew it wasn't. But still, she stared at Mason, waiting for him to say the words.

"It was your sister, Kristina, on the phone. I spoke to her after I got you to the couch. You just dropped the phone... and your face went all pale...and then you just seemed to go out of it." He was uncomfortable under her gaze but continued. "...She said the police were at the door... that there had been an explosion down on the docks and that there was reason to believe that Stefan Cassadine had been caught in it."

"No!" Alexis try to wrench herself free of Mason's hands and rise from the couch, but Mason held onto her with both hands on her upper arms. "Was it the launch? The dock? Are they transporting him to General Hospital or is it an airlift? " she cried. She tried to rise again, but Mason, concerned for her, held her fast. "Mason, I've got to get to him!"

"Alexis!" Mason said, shaking her to get her attention. "No - it wasn't in either place. Kristina said it was in a building. After you collapsed, the police told her that it was one of Sonny Corinthos' warehouses."

"I still have to get to him..." she began, but the new look of sorrow in his eyes stopped her from finishing her sentence. Alexis stopped struggling and stared at him in disbelief.

"No." she whispered.

* * *

"No!"

Sonny's reaction was not as violent, but in its own way just as stunned. He'd been at the main Corinthos-Morgan warehouse, working in the office when Jason had unexpectedly showed up.

His first thoughts were of mingled rage and disbelief. He looked up at Jason, who had delivered the news moments before. Stefan Cassadine, in one of his warehouses? What the _hell_ had he been doing there? The answer came surging in with all the force of a sudden storm. Stefan had come looking for him.

"My God," he muttered out loud. "Alexis."

"Kristina is already down there at the scene." Jason said. "That means Alexis already knows. I'd bet she was on her way down there as well."

"What about Cassadine?"

"They were saying the odds were that nobody who was inside could have survived. But they're still looking."

He snatched up his coat. Alexis. did she know? He couldn't imagine how she'd react when she found out.

"Sonny, if you go down there, you're asking for trouble from the cops." Jason warned him.

"It doesn't matter - they're gonna come looking for me either way." What mattered was that he get to Alexis and see her – see how she was. Jason followed him out the door.

* * *

It was mayhem when he arrived. Sirens blaring, firemen rushing around with hoses and ladders, trying to bring the blaze under control, and the inevitable police out in force, keeping back the growing crowds. Sonny stared into the ruins of the building watching as the flames consumed what was left that had not been leveled from the explosion. From the fierceness of the flames, Sonny could tell that they weren't natural. This had been no accident, but a deliberate act against him.

Only it had gone horribly wrong and someone else had paid the price. Again.

Sonny's eyes frantically searched the crowds being held back by the police. After a few moments, he spotted Kristina in the crowd almost opposite from where he and Jason stood, but she was alone. But if she was there, then it was just as Jason had said - Alexis had to know what had happened. His mind raced - he had to get to her the moment she arrived. He had to let her know that this wasn't his fault. It wasn't. Hadn't Alexis herself told him that he couldn't hold himself responsible for things that were outside of his control? That she might think otherwise now was a thought Sonny refused to allow entry into his mind.

Wherever Alexis was now, she would look for Kristina first of all; that would be where he would find her. Sonny marked her position and started to cross over to her, but found himself suddenly face to face with Police Commissioner Scorpio instead.

"Come down to enjoy the latest fireworks, Corinthos?" Mac Scorpio said, his expression stern and unforgiving. "Seems like another innocent soul got caught up in a disaster of your making."

Sonny wasn't about to try and justify himself to Mac. "Have they found anyone?" he asked.

"The fire marshal says it's doubtful if there will be anything to find. The intensity of the inflammables make that highly unlikely." Mac's iron stare spoke volumes.

"Quit looking at me, Mac. I didn't have anything to do with this." Out of the corner of his eye, he caught a swirl of long chestnut hair in the throng and knew somehow that it had belonged to Alexis. She had finally arrived. What the Commissioner thought was suddenly irrelevant. Sonny wanted – _needed - _nothing more than to go to her and hold her in his arms and tell her that everything was going to be all right. He turned to go, but was halted by Mac's hand coming down hard on his shoulder.

"You're not walking away from this one, Sonny. Someone possibly died today. And you're going to come downtown and answer a few questions." His voice told Sonny that he would accept no excuses. "More than a few."

Sonny was watching Alexis. She looked pale, her eyes enormous in her face. She hadn't noticed his presence; her entire focus was on the still-burning building. She stood there so still, like a statue, as if she were the one that had died. Without stopping to wonder why, Sonny could feel her pain from where he stood.

"Let's go, Sonny." Mac was adamant. Sonny looked into his face and saw Mac's train of thought. He could either go down voluntarily or he could go down handcuffed; neither of which would get him to Alexis. Co-operating, though, might get him in and out of police custody quicker. Mac moved as though to escort him out by his arm, but Sonny jerked away angrily.

Mac shrugged, as though to say 'have it your way.' Instead he stood back and motioned Sonny forward. "You want call your lawyer?"

Sonny chanced one final look back at Alexis. She hadn't moved.

"No."


	67. chapter 67

**CHAPTER SIXTY SEVEN**

It was hours before the PCPD cut him loose. Half the night with the same idiotic and clumsily disguised questions thrown at him again and again and again as they tried to break him, tried to trip him up, tried to catch Sonny in any lie, any discrepancy that would give them the excuse they so wanted to find so that they could throw him behind bars. But in the end, they had to let him go. Not because he had anything to hide, Sonny seethed inside as he rode in his limo back to the penthouse, but because there _was_ nothing to hide.

Why couldn't those idiots see that? They needed to find out who was behind the explosion. But Sonny wouldn't wait for them to do the job - he'd take care of it himself. He pulled out his cell phone and called Jason and for the next few minutes. they discussed the possibilities open to them to find who had made an unprovoked attack against him. Jason understood the urgency Sonny was feeling and promised to make this a number one priority. Sonny knew he'd pull no punches.

_But this won't bring back Alexis' brother. _Sonny thought to himself. She had struggled so hard to reach him when he had blamed himself for Carly's accident and presumed death. She wouldn't let him accept guilt for another's actions. But what would she do now? This was something that was hitting Alexis closer to home. Carly was an accident - Stefan too.. a part of him argued, but the other part of him knew the truth - if Stefan was dead, then he was to blame. That would be what the world would see. Would Alexis see it that way as well? Fear welled in him from deep inside, that she wouldn't be able to see it any other way. As great as her heart was, as much love, compassion and forgiveness that she was capable of giving, maybe this time, the violence of his life had finally come too close to her own.

* * *

He endured the long ride up to the penthouse level with an outward appearance of calm, but that was all that it was. His guards had told him that Alexis was home - Sonny stepped off the elevator and turned towards Alexis' door. For a moment his mind played tricks on him, showing him Alexis' face - trying to be exasperated at him and failing miserably as he took her keys that continually stuck in the lock and opened her door.

Suddenly, Sonny was seeing the many faces of Alexis... Him tossing her the keys and she catching them... the many times she finished sentences for him...the night she'd talked him back from the fringes of claustrophobia in his jail cell... and then the night she had reached out to him with all that she had – all that she was - and changed both of their lives forever.. he'd seen many sides of Alexis and in his mind's eye, he could see her now - her eyes a-sparkle as she laughed, the sheen of tears as she cried, the dimples that showed even when he'd managed to exasperate her, angry and the glow of love that had at last kindled for him - had he lost it all? Sonny didn't know which face she would show to him now. He didn't know what she was thinking - might be thinking, might be blaming him for. What look might be in her eyes when she saw him now?

Standing in front of the door, Sonny could hear the low murmur of voices inside. His hand was already upraised to knock and Sonny stiffened as he heard them. He'd been forewarned, and Sonny knew that there was a battle waiting for him on the other side of the door; they'd be ready with their hate and their accusations. While he'd been held at police headquarters, they'd been busy all night filling Alexis' ears with their poison. And the moment they saw him, they'd be sure to spew their venom at him.

And none of that mattered. Stefan mattered to Alexis. _Had_ mattered. And Alexis mattered to Sonny. He had to see her.

He knocked.

After a moment, Kristina opened the door. She looked at Sonny, trying to muster up a welcoming smile, but her lips trembled even as she tried.

"How is she?" Sonny asked. He ignored the sudden silence that sprang up after his words. Sonny concentrated on Kristina. Her eyes were slightly red, as though she'd been crying - and Sonny realized that she'd lost a brother too. A new-found brother - which probably made the pain all the more raw. "How...how are you?" Sonny said to her. He reached out placed one hand on her shoulder, giving it what he meant to be a comforting squeeze. "If there's anything I can do..."

Before he could finish the sentence, the door was snatched back from Kristina's grasp and then in a sharp motion fueled by his fury, Ned flung Sonny's hand away from her.

"You've done more than enough, don't you think?" He snarled at Sonny. "Or is it just - another day, another death?"

"Ned, please..." Kristina put one hand out and laid it on Ned's chest, in an effort to calm him down. She turned back to Sonny. "I'm sorry, Sonny. Alexis isn't here."

"Why are you apologizing to him?" Ned raged. "He's the reason why your brother is dead!"

"They...they haven't found..." A fresh flash of pain entered Kristina's eyes as she flinched at Ned's words, and Sonny felt a new wave of anger wash over him. Why couldn't Ashton stop and think of someone besides himself and his self-righteous fury?

Kristina's voice faltered. "They haven't confirmed the discovery or identifications of any remai-" Fresh tears first choked out her voice and then spilled out of her eyes.

Ned wasn't through. "Alexis probably hasn't come home because she doesn't want to see you! The thought of having to see you while you mouth some sorry apologies ran her off from her own family, from the people who really care about her!"

Sonny had flinched inwardly at Ned's words, but it was the pain that Ashton's words had re-kindled in Kristina's eyes that threatened to make him lose his hard-won control and ignite his own personal brand of fury. It was only the thought of putting Alexis in a position where she had to endure another fight between him and Ashton kept him still. That thought brought home the feeling of the loss of her presence, and in a sudden reaction of pure feeling and not thought, Sonny reached out. Ignoring Ned, he drew Kristina into his arms. She leaned into him gratefully, and began to cry silently, a slow seeping of tears trailing down her cheeks.

As she came into his arms, the door swung free. Sonny saw that besides Ned, Jax and Mason were present. Ned stood just inside the door, still glaring at him, with hate bright in his eyes. Jax and his friend were in the middle of the room, still standing by the couch where they must have been seated when he knocked. They looked at him warily and Sonny returned their gazes defiantly. But neither man made an attempt to join in on Ned's tirade.

Sonny stared back defiantly for another moment. Then his gaze went from Jax, to Mason and came back finally to rest on Ned. Ashton's hands clenched in anger as he watched Kristina take comfort in Sonny's arms. He was a step away from exploding, but Sonny didn't care. A part of him almost wanted Ned to come at him, fists flying. His words couldn't hurt him any more than his hands could. There was a part of him that longed to smash his fist into his face, that longed for the least little bit of excuse to explode into mindless rage that would release the turmoil and pain churning deep inside him.

The only thing that anchored his own anger was the thought - the knowing - that Alexis needed him. Everyone in the room seemed rooted in place, the silence broken only by the small sounds of Kristina's sorrow. She trembled in Sonny's arms as she struggled to control her sobs. They only came harder as she tried.

Jax was the first to move in this tense scenario. He stepped to Ned's side. "It won't do Alexis any good to come home and see this." He said to the other man.

That was the first bit of sense Sonny could remember coming from Jax's mouth.

"It doesn't do any good for _him_ to be here when she gets home.." Ned answered angrily. "_If_ she does come back here at all. I can't imagine why she would." he finished, his eyes coming to rest angrily on Sonny once more.

Jax looked at Sonny, his eyes unreadable, then looked back to Ned. "That's not your - or my - place to judge."

Kristina finally managed to get herself under control. She stirred in his arms, and Sonny, sensing it, let his arms fall away from her. She wiped at her eyes and looked around, first at Sonny and then the others. She looked back up at Sonny and tried for a smile, even though her lips trembled with the effort. "Thank you." she said to him. She turned to the others. "I'm sorry." she said with a final sniffle.

"Don't be." Sonny said.

"Sonny's right." Jax said.

Would wonders never cease? That was two for two where Candyboy had come down on his side. Sonny wondered briefly what was up with that, but the thought quickly fell away from his mind. "She hasn't called?" he asked Kristina.

She shook her head. "And she isn't answering her cell phone either."

Jax nodded. His eyes dropped for a moment and he seemed to be lost in thought. After a long moment, he looked up, obviously having made a decision. He looked directly into Sonny's eyes and held his gaze while he spoke. "I'm positive that Alexis isn't running from any one person or even from the situation. If anything, she's running from herself and her feelings." Jax reached out and stroked Kristina's hair. "It's pure Alexis. One part of her is going to drive her to do something, anything… anything at all to keep her from dealing with her very real pain. But eventually, she'll come home. Alexis just needs time, space and understanding from _everyone_ who cares about her" – his gaze flicked meaningfully to Ned who had the good grace to drop his own eyes in embarrassment, and then his eyes came back to stare even harder into Sonny's – "and let her handle what must be devastating news in her own way."

Sonny found himself nodding too; not letting his emotions show on his face, but feeling a rush of momentary relief pour through him anyway. He'd thought it was just his phone calls she'd been ignoring, that it was _him _that Alexis hadn't been able to face or talk to, but she was taking no calls from anyone, not even her sister..

But his sense of relief faded away almost as soon as it had arrived. Even though, wonders of wonders, he knew that Jax was right, it didn't make his own uncertainty any easier. Where was Alexis? What was her state of mind that she had withdrawn from everyone she knew? He wanted to be able to trust in her love for him, but what if what had happened had destroyed that love? When he saw her, what would be in her eyes? Bottom line, Sonny just wanted to know that she was all right. _Was she all right?_


	68. Lost In Dark Places

**CHAPTER SIXTY EIGHT  
Lost in Dark Places**

Sonny spent a long and mostly sleepless night. He tossed and turned more than he dozed on the living room couch, waiting, wanting for the knock on the door that would tell him that him that Alexis had returned home. What dreams he had were disjointed and shadowy, mostly without form or concrete meaning, but they left him feeling lost and lonely in dark places. Every time he awoke, it was with pounding heart and a sickening sense of loneliness. Sonny finally gave up on sleep altogether long before dawn and even two hours after the sun rose, there still had been no news.

He went through the motions of rising and getting prepared for the day, but he couldn't concentrate on any of it. Sonny didn't care what he wore, he had no appetite for food, and the freshly brewed coffee was tasteless in his mouth. He tried to work, but the papers on his desk were nothing but a series of meaningless symbols, and any messages awaiting his decisions seemed equally as meaningless. He delegated much of it to Jason. The phone finally rang but his rush to it was a useless one. It was only another summons down to police headquarters. All through this new round of endless questions, Sonny barely paid attention to them. His focus was all on the phone in his pocket. It was a thankless task he'd set himself to because it never rang.

Sonny told them what he knew – which was literally nothing. He wasn't involved in any vendetta with any rival "businessmen"; no, he had had no clue that any plots were brewing against him, no, he had no clue as to who might have wanted to strike at him, no, he had no reason to want any harm to come to Stefan Cassadine; and no, he had no idea where his lawyer, relative to the aforementioned deceased, Alexis Davis was. He bristled at the insinuation that he might have had something to do with her disappearance. They hadn't had any sort of falling-out. They had no idea that he wanted to find Alexis and make certain of her safety more than they ever could.

Sonny took a rare moment to look inside of himself, and as much as he dreaded it, he knew that he needed to face her, to look into Alexis' eyes, even though he was afraid – no, terrified - of what he would find there. That he would see sadness and sorrow in the depths of her beautiful brown eyes would be hell enough for him, but what else would be there? Suspicion, condemnation or worst of all – hatred and fear. _What would he see when he next his eyes met hers?_

The powers that be at the PCPD kept him as long as they dared, and so it was early afternoon before Sonny was released. His mood had darkened from impatience towards a deep seated resentment and rage as the hours had dragged on and both he and his interrogators were more than a little at odds before they were forced to reluctantly cut him loose. But not without a promise - more like a threat, actually - of further inquiries to come. Particularly if they failed to contact Alexis within a "reasonable" amount of time.

His anger dangerously close to the surface, Sonny returned to the penthouse. Before he could enter the building, he ran into Kristina on her way out.

"Have you heard from her?" He didn't realize it at first, but his voice was unconsciously harsh with strain and worry. Sonny caught himself as he saw Kristina recoil from the hardness in his voice. With an effort, he softened his tone. "Has...has there been any word from Alexis? Has she called anyone? Does anyone know where she is?"

Kristina nodded. "Yes Sonny, she called. I left a note for you; Max was nice enough to let me into the apartment. The phone call was very brief, but she's okay. She said she was going to talk to Nikolas, but that she wanted to let me know that she was all right." She looked at Sonny with compassion and a sudden empathy that echoed deep inside Sonny's heart. "I'm sorry, but that was it – she didn't give me the chance to ask a single question or say anything else."

Kristina stepped closer and laid one hand on his arm, in an attempt to what – comfort him? Her touch, her eyes were little more than a pale imitation of her sister's. But still, he felt the comfort she tried to share with him. "Alexis...she's hurting now, Sonny. More than you or even I can even imagine. Jax was right - Alexis didn't run from you, or me or anyone else. Alexis is lost in her pain and she... she just ran."

Sonny exhaled slowly, and for a moment, the walls came down and a glimpse of own hurt showed. "How can you be so sure?"

"She hasn't said it, but right now, she's blaming herself for what's happened. She and Stefan have..." her voice caught for a moment and Kristina took a deep breath before continuing. "... had a long, complicated history. I don't pretend to even come near to understanding the depths of it. But they loved one another, for all that they've done for each other, as well as to each other. A pillar, someone that was part of the foundation of her life as a Cassadine, is suddenly gone. Alexis isn't thinking, she's just reacting. Give her time. Give her space."

Sonny's eyes darkened intensely as he looked into Kristina's eyes. "I'll give her all the time she needs. I'll give her everything she needs. But I can't let her face this alone." His voice roughened as the measure of what Alexis must be feeling washed over him. "She shouldn't be alone. There's a dark place inside of her, and if she climbs in and shuts the door behind her... I'm afraid for her. I don't want to be, but I am."

Kristina got the sense that Sonny understood a lot more about dark places than he was saying. There was a look in his eyes that went far beyond the words he spoke. He blinked once, then again, and it was gone, shuttered carefully away. But Kristina realized that there were sides to Alexis that Sonny knew far better than she did and his admission worried her.

She watched Sonny as he walked away from her, his step tired and dispirited. In spite of her own sorrow, Kristina's heart went out to him – and Alexis. The two of them had had every chance for happiness – as opposite in their being as they may seem to the world, they were two souls who had every reason to have and to hold onto a true love and yet that same world seemed to be conspiring to keep them apart. Why?


	69. Debts and Duties

**CHAPTER SIXTY-NINE**

**Debts and Duties**

Hours later, Kristina was still worrying about Alexis as she and Nikolas stepped off the launch onto the Port Charles pier. And it was with a huge sense of relief that she saw Alexis waiting for them at the end of the dock. She hurried forward into Alexis' embrace.

"I was wondering what had happened to you!" She exclaimed, wrapping her arms around her sister. After squeezing her tightly, Kristina let go and stepped aside so that Nikolas could hug his aunt.

"I won't disagree with Kristina – you gave us both a scare until we'd heard from you." he said, trying to keep a scolding tone out of his voice.

Alexis took both of their hands in her own and squeezed them, as happy to see them as they were to see her. "I do apologize, but there were things that needed to be done. Stefan left instructions…in case..." she paused for a moment and took a deep breath before continuing. "He left instructions and I have already put them into motion. That necessitated an immediate trip to New York City. I'm sorry I didn't tell you before I left."

Nikolas nodded. "You explained all of this on the phone already - and you were right. Already there are rumblings in Europe of ripples in the Cassadine holdings. The jet is ready, and I'll be there by morning."

"It's Helena." Alexis said, sure of it. Only Helena would be this cold and heartless to make a power play before Stefan's body was even recovered. She'd had almost as little use for Stefan as she had for Alexis. Unshed tears stung her eyes at the thought with equal amounts of loss and rage.

Nikolas' face twisted in disgust. "My grandmother is transparently clear- if she can get a majority control of the Cassadine assets, then she imagines she can gain some sort of control over me."

"Be careful, Nikolas."

Nikolas shook his head. "The one thing I don't have to worry about is her harming me. But you and Kristina..." His voice hardened. "That's why I have to go. Kristina and I have been talking, and I want her to come with me. I have to make it clear to everyone, that my conception of the Cassadine Empire – such as it is - includes you and Kristina. Anyone that would even contemplate coming against either one of you will have me – and the entire might of what we control - to deal with. Stefan made that clear to all - and I will do the same. I look forward to perhaps running into my grandmother, because trust me, I will make that point _abundantly_ clear to her."

"But I can stay, if you think it's best." Kristina said, her eyes full of concern. Watching Alexis, she could see the strain that she tried to hide, the soft shadows under her eyes that spoke of too many sleepless hours and the sorrow in her gaze that went unreleased.

Alexis knew that Kristina was speaking out of concern for her. She also knew that Kristina and Nikolas had grown close since their meeting. They were closer in age than she and Kristina were, and they'd be good for one another, at this time more than any other. They needed each other, there was no denying that fact. She could take care of herself, and the things here that needed taking care of, until they got back.

Her decision was made; Alexis shook her head. "Nikolas is right on this one. If we present a united front, anyone in the employ of the Cassadine holdings even thinking remotely of betraying us, either to Helena or to their own schemes, will more than likely think twice if you are by his side.

"No, Kristina, you go with Nikolas. Everything will be fine." But her last words trembled as the lie passed her lips. Everything was not fine, Stefan was gone...forever and ever. She turned back to Nikolas. "Where you would be heading to?"

"London first, to check in with the main offices there. After that..." Nikolas shrugged. "It depends on how much damage is already done – and where.." His eyes darkened. "But what about Stefan?...a memorial, what will we do...?"

"First things first, and what you've already put into motion is precisely what Stefan would want you to do." Alexis said. They were all going to do what Stefan would expect of them. "You must show yourself able to step into his position immediately and seamlessly, show yourself to be the Cassadine Prince Stefan raised you to be, and negate any influence or power Helena might try and usurp for herself. Your presence and swift action will nullify any overt acts of betrayal undertaken on her behalf. Kristina's presence might even be helpful, to show that our bloodline is united on all fronts and Helena is the true outsider.

"I..I will begin to make all arrangements necessary for Stefan's final memorial. I'll call you before making any final decisions..."

"No, you do what you think best." Nikolas assured her of his total trust.

"You are the head of this family, and it is for you to give your final approval to whatever decisions are to be made." Alexis said as she shook her head. She knew what he wanted, but she had to drive home the point that he was the Prince and this was the position Stefan had spent the majority of his adult life insuring. "But we are family, Nikolas - and we will make these decisions as a family. I've already begun making inquiries about our north and south american assets and make sure they are secure. We need to begin moving on this as soon as possible - Stefan would expect no less." She forced back the tears that threatened to blur her eyesight.

Stefan trained me in my duties well. I just never thought that the time would come so soon. It's a debt I can never repay." Nikolas said quietly.

"There's no debt." Alexis said, her own eyes filling with tears to match his. "What he did, he did out of love. And what we do now, honors him and that love."

"We'll make Stefan proud." Kristina declared.

"You two have already done that. He was prouder of you than you could ever know."

"You too, Alexis." Nikolas told her. "Stefan loved you as a sister - always. You were always family to him."

"I know." Alexis said. She did know it, all the way down to the very marrow of her bones. Stefan had always been there, the one certainty in her life. Even when she had told herself she'd hated him, it was a fierce hate born of her need to be loved by him. A truly royal Russian passion, as Stefan used to tease her.

He was the rock they all had leaned on. How were they going to survive without him? That same thought echoed through them, unspoken, and silence followed in its wake.

"You two have a plan to catch." Alexis reminded them, at last. She watched as they left for the waiting limo, then once she was alone, turned back to the dock. Alexis walked along the dock, along the railing but away from the dock, pausing to stare out over the dark waters.

A soft drizzling mist began, drenching the air in a soft haze of fog. Alexis stood there for an eternity of time, not wanting to think or feel, just letting herself go blessedly numb. She welcomed the welcoming shroud of fog that closed in around her. Despite the growing chill, she stood there, never feeling more alone in her life than she did at that moment. She stood there in silence, until she sensed another presence approaching. Alexis turned her head, really not caring who it might be.


	70. Safe Harbor

**CHAPTER SEVENTY  
Safe Harbor**

"Miss Davis?" It was the launch captain. "Excuse me, but I just wanted to inquire if you'll be returning to Windermere tonight?"

"I.. I'm not really sure yet." Alexis said. "Would you give me a few moments to decide?"

"Of course." the captain replied. Seeing that she wanted her privacy, he informed Alexis that he would wait for her answer onboard and withdrew as quickly and as courteously as he could.

Should she return to Windermere? It would be more efficient for her to work from there, true enough. But could she be there all alone? Nikolas and Kristina were gone and Stefan... Stefan was... A shiver went through her as long denied tears flooded into her eyes. She'd done as Stefan wanted, putting the plan into motion as he had instructed so many years before, but one she had never really believed that she would be called on to implement. Never so soon as this. Going through the motions had allowed her to retreat, to run from the pain of it all… but she'd stopped running. And now the heart-wrenching sense of her loss hit her again, as it had so many times already, and her body trembled with the pain. She was alone as she had never been before… The coldness flooding through her had nothing to do with the weather.

Then a comforting warmth settled on her shoulders. Alexis turned her head and met Sonny's eyes. She could only stare at him, her throat too tight with grief to speak.

Sonny looked at Alexis, lost for words as he saw the devastation in her eyes. He spent the night roaming around Port Charles, looking everywhere he'd thought Alexis might have fled to. The park, the penthouse, her office, the Grille, even Luke's place. He'd come to the docks earlier tonight but something had drawn him back…and Sonny breathed a silent thanks to whatever had drawn him back.

When the fog had come up, he had faltered, suddenly despairing that he would find her. Or that she would want to be found. Especially by him. But Sonny couldn't help himself. Even if she damned him a thousand times over, all that mattered to him was to see her, to know that she was safe. All that mattered to Sonny was that he had to find her. He'd been prepared to search all night if he that was what it would take, to walk every street in Port Charles to find her.

Walking the length of the pier, his heart had literally leapt in his chest as he recognized her figure standing at the railing. Even as he approached her though, he could see Alexis' body shaking. All of his own fears disappeared and without thinking, he ripped his own coat off and went to her.

Sonny had laid his coat over her shoulders. Not daring for more, he allowed his hands to curve over her shoulders – just a feather of a touch, if only to reassure himself that she was _real_. Even if in the next second, Alexis turned to him with hate in her eyes, at least he knew that she was here. His hands trembled as she turned to face him.

Sonny forced himself to look into her eyes. And what he saw, the pain, the loss, the utter devastation Alexis tried so hard to hide stole the breath from his body and took away his ability to speak. All thoughts of his own concerns fell away and Sonny opened his arms.

Without thinking, Alexis came into his embrace.

"Alexis…" Sonny held her tightly, murmuring her name over and over into the soft masses of her hair. Without him realizing it, he began to rock her in his arms.

After a moment of forever, Sonny pulled back, just enough to look into Alexis' face. The grief in her eyes was like a knife in his chest. He lifted one hand, and tenderly brushed back a damp tendril of hair from her face. "Alexis, I'm so sorry…"

In a wordless response, blindly seeking a respite from her pain, Alexis lifted her lips to his. Sonny felt her need and met her halfway. They came together, each seeking and finding warmth, comfort and love.

His first thirst for her barely quenched for the moment, Sonny's mouth rained a storm of tiny kisses along the soft planes of her face, kissing the traces of tears away, tasting the soft saltiness of them on his own lips. He found himself whispering words that he knew to be true, but that he'd never thought he have the courage to speak. "I was so afraid for losing you." He whispered between his kisses. "So afraid you would look at me with hatred in your eyes, or fear because now you would see what I really am…." All of his fears were tumbling free. He couldn't help himself… the words came out whether he would or not. "I thought I had lost you, that maybe you had left me forever… I'm sorry this happened…forgive me… forgive me…please Alexis, forgive me…"

And Sonny wasn't ashamed when his tears mingled with hers.

Alexis felt herself melt into Sonny's embrace, felt his strength enfolding her, she was barely aware of his words as first, but only took comfort in the sound of his voice and the feel, the realness, the very life in him that clung to her and helped take the pain of Stefan's death away – even if only for this brief moment. His hands traced over her face, and she could feel the warmth of his fingertips… _alive...alive…_ her soul whispered to her… Alexis didn't realize when it was that she began answering him…matching him embrace for embrace, tender kiss for tender kiss, caress for caress…and truth – she began to realize - for truth.

"I wasn't thinking… I just ran… it hurt… it hurt so much… I just ran away... not from you but from myself…" As she spoke to him, her words intermingling with the kisses she was returning, Alexis realized that she didn't have to shoulder this burden all alone, she'd found her safe harbor. But what had she done? She hadn't trusted in him, in their love to shelter her. How could she have been so utterly blind? "I'm so sorry, Sonny… I should have trusted in you, trusted in _us. _I shouldn't have closed myself off from you… and I never meant to hurt you so…"

That her heart could think and feel for his, even now, was a discovery that exploded in Sonny's heart. His mouth found hers once more, and in that moment, the bond that had been growing between them, strengthened. The kiss became more than a kiss. Sonny and Alexis spoke without words, with nothing less than their hearts and souls and each one knew the thoughts of the other, without a need to speak of it any longer. As one, they turned and walked away towards the waiting limo.

Tomorrow, Alexis might feel the need to return to Windermere. But not tonight, tonight she would go home, home to her safe harbor, home where her heart called her to be.

* * *

And so Sonny and Alexis returned to the Towers in that same strangely new but at the same time oddly familiar state of being. The ride home and even the ride in the elevator to the penthouse level had been uneventful, mostly silent but as loving as an embrace or the deepest kiss. All that was needed was a touch, a glance, or a smile. It was more than enough between them.

Sonny's hand brushed against hers as Alexis fitted her key into the lock. Their fingers entwined briefly as they stepped into the apartment. Sonny stood by the door, watching Alexis as she walked into the room.

Alexis wasn't really seeing the apartment; she was remembering Stefan there. The desk, brought with her from New York City, many were the nights she had sat there, Stefan hovering at her shoulder as they had gone over papers planning for Nikolas' eventual inheritance and rule. There were gifts and trinkets scattered around the room and more, she knew, upstairs, that reminded her of her life before she'd come to Port Charles, the life she spent in the Cassadine employ, the life she had lived, all due to Stefan. If not for him, he might not have even lived at all…

She shivered and Sonny was there instantly, by her side.

"What is it?" he asked softly.

"There's so much of my life before I came to Port Charles here. So much of my life with Stefan." Alexis tried to explain. She picked up a smallish deeply reddish- golden ovoid paperweight. She held it up and Sonny could see a butterfly embedded in it.

"This is a piece of Baltic amber." She explained.. "It's actually a very old piece... a fossil. I didn't know that when Stefan gave it to me of course. It was when I had first been brought to the Island." She tried for a smile bravely, but her lips trembled in spite of herself.

"Barely anyone noticed me, and when I was noticed, well, let's just say it was known that I was more or less just another burden, a little nothing that much fuss was not to be made over. But Stefan cared. He cared enough to go out of his way to be kind to me. I was in my rooms one day, missing my mother and my life so very much, and Stefan came in. He knocked first, of course. Stefan always had the most beautiful manners. He said he had a secret to show me…and after offering me his arm, as though I were a great lady and not a little nothing – he took me to this wonderful room filled with so many fascinating things. And one of them was this. He taught me what amber was…it was his first lesson…and it became his first present to me…" Alexis began to cry again… silent tears welled out of her eyes and trailed down her cheeks. "So many things here remind me of him, of us… I can't stay here tonight." She said suddenly.

"Then don't." Sonny said. He recognized the fact that he had to let Alexis find her own way to deal with her grief, but this much he could do for her. He could help her with the pain for this one night, at least. He placed his arm around her shoulders. "Stay with me tonight. You don't have to be alone."

The phone on her desk rang then. Alexis automatically moved towards it, but Sonny stopped her.

"It could be Nikolas."

"He would call your cell phone. Whoever – whatever else it is – can wait. Come home with me, Alexis"

She couldn't deny the appeal in his eyes. Alexis let Sonny lead her back across the hall.

* * *

The phone rang once then a second time before it was answered.

"Is she devastated?"

"Difficult to say - she's been unreachable."

"How so?"

"You're seldom pleased by conjectures."

"Indulge me this once."

"Very well. Before contact could be made, Sonny Corinthos appeared. It was a very touching, very loving scene. But yes, I would say that Alexis Davis is certainly distressed by Stefan's demise."

"A touching scene? Who would have thought that the little mouse was capable of inspiring such devotion?" A heartless chuckle followed after the call was ended. "Interesting." The caller murmured to herself.


	71. Dark Dreams

**CHAPTER SEVENTY-ONE**

**Dark Dreams**

It was hours before Alexis finally fell into a troubled doze.

After returning to Sonny's penthouse, Sonny had offered her food or drink, but Alexis numbly refused. So instead, he had led her silently upstairs to his bedroom. Hand in hand they entered, but when Sonny had paused by the wall switch to turn on a light, but a whispered plea from Alexis halted his hand midway to the switch.

"Sonny, no…don't." she whispered. A quick glance into her eyes and Sonny understood instantly. Light would only harshen reality for her and what Alexis wanted – needed - was a respite from that, even if it were only for a little while. He squeezed her hand in comfort and understanding, even as he thought to himself that this was not the Alexis he was used to. The woman he knew, the woman he loved, faced things head on – it wasn't in her to not to. Sonny began to realize just how devastating a loss her brother was to her. A fresh swell of guilt poured through him. He would find out who was behind this uncalled-for attack…

But right now, his focus had to stay on Alexis. Still holding her by the hand, Sonny led her to his bed, then drew her into his arms. She came to him like a child, curling up against him and resting her head against him. He held her close, feeling her tremble in silent grief, inwardly cursing whatever fates had brought her to this. Sonny wanted to believe that his being there to hold her was some small comfort to her, even though he knew that nothing could truly lessen her sorrow. At least she hadn't pushed him away. He clung to that thought for the tiny mercy it brought to him.

Inch by merciful inch, Alexis relaxed into sleep. Sonny's arms tightened around her, one hand coming up to stroke her hair lightly. But when he would have at last fallen asleep himself, Alexis jerked awake, sitting up with a sharp cry of terror.

"Stefan!"

Sonny sat up besides her and was startled as Alexis turned towards him and he saw the fear in her eyes. Sonny reached for her, but the look in her eyes froze him in his tracks. Pupils dilated, blind with fear… he'd never seen her look like this, the frightened little Natasha that Alexis had told him about once upon a time, was looking at him. _She was afraid of him._ Inside, his soul shivered and he died a little.

Then, with her next words, he realized that she was still sleeping but not asleep, caught midway between dreaming and wakefulness and not seeing him at all.

"Stefan!" Alexis cried again. "Where are you? It's so dark… No.. I can't – I can't find you…"

Sonny took her by her arms and shook her as softly as he could. She was lost in her dreams, and her dreams were so dark… Sonny called her name softly. "Alexis, no… Stefan – Stefan is gone." He said it as gently as he could, but Alexis pulled away.

"He's not gone…he's hurt, and alone but he's not gone… He needs me – I can feel it!." She stared at Sonny for a moment longer without recognition, then Alexis shuddered one last time as her eyes slowly cleared. "Stefan…" her voice dropped to a broken whisper and she slowly brought her hands up to her face and began to sob helplessly.

Sonny took Alexis into his arms once again and without words, urged her to lay down beside him. His heart ached for her as Sonny felt her pain. Unable to do anything else, he slipped one hand beneath her chin, lifting her face to his. Sonny touched his lips to hers, cradling her gently as her lips clung to his.

When the kiss was ended, Alexis lay her head on his chest. "He..he was the first man I ever loved." She whispered the words so softly that Sonny wasn't sure that he had heard her right. And when he did recognize what she had said, his heart bled for her all over again.

They lay quietly, without words between them, letting the quiet of the night envelope them. Eventually her body relaxed. Sonny cradled her, unwilling to leave her, hoping that his arms around her gave her the security and comfort she needed to rest. During that long space of silence, they didn't speak, although Sonny could tell that Alexis was wide awake. From time to time, she shuddered but didn't speak. But eventually, those moments began to come with less and less frequency and at last, sheer exhaustion claimed her and drew her down into some semblance of sleep.

When her breathing had slowed and deepened, Sonny laid Alexis down oh so carefully, as though she weighed no more than a dove's feather and as though she were just as fragile; he brought her head to rest gently against the pillows. Soft shadows of grief lay beneath her closed eyelids and Sonny ached to reach out and brush them away. But he worried that the slightest touch would bring her back to consciousness. And he wanted her to sleep; at least sleep would keep the grief away, even if it was only for a short time.

And for her to sleep meant it would be better that he didn't disturb her at all. With that thought in mind, Sonny glanced off to one side; there was a plush armchair nearby. Sonny slipped silently from the bed to pull it near, prepared to watch over her the rest of the night. Before he sat, though, another thought came to him. When Alexis awoke, God willing, it would be morning. And the last thing she would need is to have to go back to her apartment to be battered with memories of her brother all over again. It would have to be done sooner or later, he realized, but Sonny would do his best to postpone that fresh grief as long as he could.

Sonny knelt down beside the bed, his eyes studying Alexis intently. He was relieved to see that her breathing was deep and serene at last. Exhaustion had claimed her to the point of dreamless sleep – or so he hoped. Earlier, every time she'd drifted off, Alexis had awoken with a jerk, as though a new memory had struck her heart with a fresh pain. Her beautiful eyes had been clouded with a depth of pain that Sonny couldn't ever remember seeing in them before, and his heart and soul had burned with a sense of helplessness that was totally unfamiliar to him. But she had burrowed into his arms and he held her tight, determined to shield her from what hurt that he could. Hopefully, Alexis would rest now and never notice he was gone. He'd just slip across the hall to her apartment and gather up the few things that she would need.

He bent over her to check a final time; his hand hovered over her head, allowing himself just the tiniest caress of fingertips against the silky strands of her hair. A feather-touch and nothing more, afraid of waking her, but unable to leave her without any touch at all.

Johnny was at his post. He watched as his boss closed the door with extra care, understanding at once the reason why. Even though the door was shut, unconsciously, the bodyguard lowered his own voice. "How is she?"

Sonny's eyes went back to the door, as though he were seeing her asleep in his bed. "She's finally sleeping. For how long, I don't know." He turned back to Johnny. "Tonight, she is my first priority – my only priority. But tomorrow I am going looking for some answers. I'm going to find out who did this to her."

Johnny saw the intensity in Sonny's eyes and nodded. Whoever had done this had made a huge mistake. This wasn't about business as usual for Sonny Corinthos. Whoever had engineered the bombing had made this personal. And they were going to pay. With interest, Johnny thought as he watched Sonny cross the hall to Alexis' apartment.

Once inside, Sonny went upstairs, feeling strangely like an intruder as he paused at the threshold of Alexis' bedroom. Taking a deep breath and reminding himself that he was there for her sake, no matter if uninvited, he stepped in.

Turning on a lamp that sat near the door, he felt Alexis' presence surround him. The first thing that assailed his senses was the scent of her; the light and slightly sweet gardenia fragrance lingered in this room and her presence, the presence Sonny was used to, was everywhere. Practicality and sensuousness mingled in equal parts throughout the room.

A quick check of her bureau found Alexis' intimate apparel. Damping down fresh feelings of invasion, he collected them, then moved on quickly to select a robe and a change of clothes.

Sonny returned downstairs, and paused while he rearranged his findings in his arms. His eyes went to her desk. A few folders were scattered across the top, and her briefcase stood beside it on the floor. Knowing Alexis the way that he did, Sonny guessed that she would do her best to use her work as a way of dealing with her pain. Not as a crutch, but as a means to keep herself on an even keel. So, he reasoned, bingeing her most current files to her, along with her briefcase and laptop, would be one more way to keep her from having to come back to her own apartment to face more memories.

"I know you'll do it soon enough." Sonny murmured to himself as he crossed the room to her desk. He laid her clothes down on the back of the chair, and began gathering up her files. "Especially because you couldn't face things last night. I know you'll go back and face your demons head-on, because you can't do anything else. You're not going to run, you're not going to hide, just like I know you'll do your best to keep me from protecting you. But if this will protect you for even one minute more, then it's worth it."

Unknowingly, he smiled a bit to himself as he began to gather the folders together. From long habit, he found himself shuffling them into alphabetical order as he placed them into Alexis' briefcase. "….Chicago, Daniels, Lane, Slater & Co….Whiteville. The last one caught his eye. "Whiteville…?" Why did that sound familiar? Sonny frowned. Something told him that he should recognize the name, but it rang no bells.

Before he could chase that thought down, the phone rang. Sonny looked at the caller ID and frowned to see Jax's name and number flashing. Then the answering machine kicked in and Jax began to speak, his tone tight with tension and worry.

"Alexis…Alexis? It's me. Honey, I don't want to bother you, I swear. I won't even come over if you don't want… it's just the thought of you there, alone. I can't stop worrying about you. I just want to make sure that you're all right. In spite of my first instincts to rush over, I didn't

"I know the PCPD is looking at Sonny..but what if it was Helena going after Stefan… I can't get that thought out of my head, and now I'm worried that she might be coming after you too. I know that I'm not going to get any sleep at all until I hear from you." There was no denying the pure worry in Jax's voice. "Alexis, just pick up the phone and let me know that you're okay….Alexis…. _please._"

Not knowing why he did it even as he was doing it, Sonny snatched the receiver up before the other man could hang up. "She's all right." He growled into the phone.

"Sonny?" Jax's voice was incredulous. Sonny was feeling pretty much the same.

'She's had a rough night, and it was hard for her to get there - but she's sleeping now."

There was a significant silence on the other end of the line. "Why are you telling me this, Sonny?"

"She wouldn't want you worrying."

"But since when do you care, whether I worry or not, Sonny?"

"I don't. But what's important to Alexis, is important to me..." Now it was Sonny's turn for a long silence. And then- "You're important to her."

"Thank you." Jax hesitated. "I realize that you're important to her, too. So I'm glad you're there for her. Take care of her, Corinthos."

An unfamiliar emotion made its way through Sonny; something that he didn't want to examine too closely. "I gotta get back to Alexis." He said shortly; hanging up before Jax could answer.


	72. Caretakers

CHAPTER SEVENTY-TWO 

**Caretakers**

The rest of the night was thankfully quiet. Sonny spent the night in the chair beside the bed, unwilling to take the chance of waking her up. The early morning sun was already peeking through the heavy drapes as Sonny opened his eyes and stretched slowly. He smiled as his gaze fell on Alexis. She had turned towards him during the night and now her expression was peaceful, serene and beautiful. The soft morning light seemed to caress her skin and kiss the highlights in her hair and Sonny was reminded of the morning when she had first woken up in his arms.

He could spend the next little while doing nothing but watch her, Sonny thought to himself, but after glancing at his watch, he reluctantly pulled himself from the chair and stood. The smile on his face deepened as he arranged the things he'd brought over for her in the chair by the bed, where she couldn't fail to see them. Sonny went down the hall to the gust bedroom, where he showered, shaved and changed into fresh clothes, then went downstairs and headed into the kitchen where he prepared a fresh brewing of Alexis' favorite coffee blend.

Sonny walked back into the living room, and heard the shower starting upstairs just as the phone rang. The conversation was acidly brief and sharply to the point. The PCPD, along with the D.A. wanted to see him in connection with Stefan's death. His first response was to tell them collectively to go to hell, but a swift glance upstairs stopped him. He bit back an explosion of rage.

"So even though I have no motive and there's no evidence to link me to Stefan Cassadine's death, you want to question me?" Ironic. "…And I should be grateful for this so-called courtesy call?"

He heard her coming downstairs. "Fine, we can take care of this today….when? When I get there." he snapped into the receiver. Sonny hung up just as Alexis came down the last turn of the stairs.

"Hey." He said. Sonny carefully wiped all the tension from his expression as he turned and came towards her. He gathered Alexis into his arms. She smelled wonderful, a heady mix of his favorite spicy body wash and her own subtle fragrance.

"Hey, yourself." Alexis replied as she wrapped her own arms around him. "When did you find time to do this?" she gestured down at her clothes.

"Never underestimate my abilities." Sonny answered her with a genuine smile this time.

"I never do." Alexis kissed him softly. She allowed Sonny to lead her to the couch and fetch them two cups of coffee before she asked him about the phone call she'd caught the end of. "If that was business that you had to take care of, then take care of it. I don't want you hovering over me unnecessarily."

"I wouldn't call it unnecessary."

"But I would."

"I was wondering what you might want for breakfast."

Alexis frowned a bit. "I don't have much appetite right now."

"You need to eat- making yourself sick isn't going to help anybody."

"And from the sound of that phone call, you have business take care of – or am I wrong?"

He recognized how adroitly Alexis changed the subject from herself, Sonny decided to let her have her way. Not that he was about to tell her abut the PCPD's early morning summons, but he knew that she'd catch a flat-out lie. "There are some matters I need to take care of this morning." He admitted.

Something else was on Sonny's mind, she could tell from the look in his eyes but Alexis couldn't figure out what. She'd always respected the boundaries of his business – with the one exception – but for some reason Alexis found herself wanting to ask the questions she know she had promised herself that she never would.

Sonny caught the look in her eyes and wondered at the questions that lay beneath her gaze. No matter if she didn't speak the words aloud, the questions were there. He remembered another look she had given him, last night. He remembered the fear in her eyes. Did she think that he'd had something to do with Stefan's death?

They looked at each other for another moment in silence, and then spoke at the same time. And the same words came out.

"About Stefan…"

"I need for you to know that nothing should have happened at my warehouse. I had no problems with nobody and as far as I know, nobody had problems with me. Things were calm and it was business as usual. It's been that way for awhile."

Alexis dropped her gaze for a moment. "I don't want you getting embroiled in a war for my sake. It won't bring Stefan back, and – and I can't bear the thought of maybe losing you too." Her eyes came back to meet his, luminous with her emotions.

Without thinking, Sonny leaned forward; Alexis met him halfway and they kissed, each of them suddenly needing assurances, promises and comfort that no amount of words could never explain.

The trust and love implicit in Alexis' touch awed Sonny. He drew her closer, hands first coming up to cup and caress the soft contours of her face, than moving lower to draw her body to his. His mouth moved on hers softly at first, then deepened as he let himself get lost in the feelings only she could evoke.

He drew strength from her, then slowly, reluctantly Sonny ended the kiss. "I don't want you thinking that anything I did led to your brother's death."

"I never thought that, Sonny, not for a moment. You have to know that."

Now it was Sonny's turn to turn his eyes away from hers. "Last night… you looked at me like- like the world looks at me. There was fear in your eyes. With everything we have been through together, last night was the very first time that _you_ looked at me like that…"

Alexis couldn't see into his eyes just then, but it didn't matter much – she heard the lost little boy in him emerge and even in the midst of her own hurt, her heart broke for him. "That wasn't me, that was my grief, the fear was from my having to face the fact that my life has to go forward without Stefan in it. He was a pillar in my life, in many ways, the foundation and architect of the life I have today."

"You built your own life Alexis. No one can take credit for that."

Alexis shook her head. "I don't expect you to understand it, Sonny. I doubt that anyone else really could, growing up with the family I had. But without Stefan, I wouldn't have lived long enough to know who and what I wanted to become. Stefan guided me, encouraged me, and showed me the first loyalty and love that I had ever known." She reached out took his hand in hers. "Nothing in my life ever matched that – until you came along. I told Stefan once that the two of you were more alike than not."

"And I'm sure that went over real well with him." Sonny said. He could only imagine the reaction Alexis' brother had had.

"It's true. And I told him so. The two of you are men born to power, born to rule, born with a sense of honor that is woven into the very fabric of your being. Nobility isn't just a matter of birth. You are noble, Sonny. You are also loyal, loving and honorable to those you care about. Even if you rarely let others see it; I do. I saw it a long time ago, and that's what drew me to you. And nothing is going to change that. Ever."

"There you go, trying to take care of me again." Sonny said, openly pretending to be exasperated. "Will you let me take care of you for a change, Alexis?"

"Since you're already doing such a good job, I don't see why not." Alexis answered, happy to see him smile again. Relieved, she changed the subject. "I noticed my briefcase and laptop on the desk, by the way."

"We both know that you can't sit still, but I figured that you could occupy your time right here."

"Without my having to go back to my apartment, you mean." They smiled at each other in perfect understanding.

"You didn't take it very well last night, Alexis."

"But today s a new day – and I have a hundred things to do."

Sonny leaned towards her, one hand coming up to touch her face again. He could never get enough of touching her. "And it has to be done now? By you?"

Alexis nodded. "Yes, by me. Stefan left instructions as to what to do in the event of his – passing – and he would expect nothing less of me than to fulfill my - duties." Her voice cracked slightly on that last word.

Sonny looked at her, worried, but at the same time confident that he'd done the right thing by not telling her about the summons downtown. The Cassadine holdings were international in scope, he'd always known that. Which meant that Alexis already had enough on her plate; he wasn't about to add to her worries with the PCPD's idiotic accusations. He knew that he'd had nothing to do with Stefan's death. He'd been telling Alexis the absolute truth when he'd said that there hadn't been any rumble or rumor of trouble in his own business operations in many months. And he would be eternally grateful that Alexis had never accused him in word thought or deed for a single second. But whoever had done this would pay. After he'd taken care of his business with the PCPD, that would be his first priority.

"His memorial, for example." Alexis was saying, as Sonny put his own thoughts away from him. "I have to have the plans for Stefan's memorial in place by the time Nikolas and Kristina get back." She cocked her head and smiled at him. "And not that I was trying to, but I heard enough of your phone call to know that you have business of your own to take care of this morning. So you don't have to baby-sit me. I promise to curl up on the couch with my briefcase, my laptop and my cell phone. I'll be fine. I have to be."

"I already told you, you don't have to do anything." Sonny said.

Alexis reached out and took his hand. "The only thing that is really going to heal me is time, Sonny." She explained. "And if I keep myself busy enough, time will do its work."

At a loss as to what else to say or do, Sonny simply leaned over and kissed Alexis softly, making time stand still for the two of them. Her lips were sweet and trusting under his and Alexis' voice was husky when she spoke next. "And you have duties of your own to take care of.." she reminded him. She refused to entertain the thought of him staying with her. "I'll be right here."

Sonny gave in. Nothing was going to change her adorably stubborn mind, and he'd known that from the start. He did make her promise that if she left the penthouse, she'd let one of the guards accompany her. Before she could argue that point, Sonny found himself telling her about the phone call from Jax.

"Normally, I wouldn't have answered your phone, but he sounded – worried."

"I'm sure he was." Alexis said, surprised in spite of her reluctance to show it. Surprised and pleased all at once. She felt her spirits lift despite her sorrow, seeing in a new way just how much Sonny really cared for her. Under her bright gaze, Sonny shrugged, no doubt somewhat embarrassed by his admission. "Thank you for reassuring him, Sonny."

Sonny smiled at her, an almost boyish grin that sent a second lift through her heart. "When it comes to you, Alexis, don't you know I'd do anything?"


	73. Finding Friends

CHAPTER SEVENTY THREE  
Finding Friends 

After Sonny had left, Alexis made good on her words. Work had always been her balm, and she used that now. Settling back on the couch, she pulled her briefcase to her and pulled out her papers. She spent the next few hours doing her best to immerse herself in it. She cross-checked facts, pulled up info and did research via her laptop and did her best to avoid the question of Stefan's memorial. That only lasted for a time.

Despite what she had told Sonny, starting preparations for Stefan's memorial was something she could not seem able to bring herself to do. Three times, she tried putting her work aside and pulled up a blank screen to begin to write Stefan's obituary, only to find herself staring at the blank screen until her eyes burned with unshed tears. After trying for the fourth time with the same frustrating results, she snatched the phone up almost gratefully when it rang. She was mildly disappointed that it wasn't Sonny on the other end.

"Hello, Alexis. How are you?"

"I'm fine.." Alexis began, then hearing the strain in her own voice, decided to go with the truth instead. "I'm coping with the situation as best as I am able. How are you?"

"I'd like to say that I'm fine, except for the fact that I'm downstairs in the lobby, and there are two rather large gentlemen who frisked me rather thoroughly and are refusing to allow me to come upstairs without your say-so."

Alexis had forgotten all about the fact that of course, Sonny would have upgraded the security measures for the building. "Let me speak to them." She told her would-be visitor, and after he had handed the phone over, she gave instructions that would allow him up. Ten minutes later, Johnny was letting Mason in.

"Did I get the penthouse numbers wrong?" Mason said, after he'd given Alexis a quick hug an sat himself down beside her on the couch. "Or has there been a change of address?"

Alexis hadn't given a second thought to the sight she must look to Mason, barefoot, in comfortable jeans, shirt and little makeup. She knew she looked as though she was totally at home. Well, she was, she thought to herself, her chin rising unconsciously in defiance at the idea; and she wasn't going to worry about it any further.

"No, I didn't want to stay at my apartment – too many memories of my brother, so Sonny took care of me last night."

"I can understand not wanting to face such memories right away. But if you will permit me to say it; it's unwise – and unlike you, for you are too strong of a woman – to run from facing events such as this. I hope this friend of yours does not cripple you with his care."

"Anything but." Alexis said swiftly. "Sonny always knows just how much – or how little- looking after I need."

Mason gave her a lop-sided smile. "And here I thought I was coming over to offer my services to watch over you. But I see by that vehement defense, that someone has already filled that bill." He reached out and brushed an errant lock of hair from her face, using the opportunity to let his fingers brush against her cheek. "And from the looks of you this morning, I'd say Sonny Corinthos takes excellent care of you." He took a deep breath. "Alexis, does that care taking include your heart as well?"

Alexis hadn't wanted to hurt Mason; the man had done his best to be there for her as a friend. But it was best that he knew the truth. He probably wouldn't understand. But then again, neither had Stefan. If only Stefan had had the chance to meet Sonny, if only they had gotten the chance to actually know one another… Her throat tightened, and unable to speak for a moment, Alexis merely nodded.

"It's okay." Mason said, after a moment. "I guess I knew all along that there was somebody else. But that it was Sonny Corinthos, I had no idea." His eyes stared into hers, serious for moment, then his expression changed to his usual slightly mocking one. "Well, maybe just a little idea, _principessa_."

Relieved at his reaction, Alexis allowed herself to follow his lead. "Oh really now?" she asked with a little laugh.

Mason shrugged. "Of course. When you failed to respond to my estimable charms, what else could it be, but another man already in place?"

"What else, indeed." Alexis answered him, letting her amusement show.

"His respect for you was obvious. It's very understandable that he would be attracted to you." Mason did drop the mockery for a moment. "So I guess it's past the flirtatious stage and into the serious stage?"

Alexis pondered that for a moment before she answered. More than that, actually, Alexis thought. Unbidden, her mind went back over all the tender, sweet, tumultuous, funny and romantic and yes, sensual moments that she and Sonny had shared, lingering lastly on last night and this morning. Yes, they were definitely into the serious stage. "Yes, I guess you could call it serious at this point."

Mason surprised her by brushing his knuckles against her cheek. "I had my answer even before you spoke, I could see it in your eyes."

Before she could answer that remark, he changed the subject easily, gesturing to the folders and paperwork she had laid out around her. Knowing of some of his own international financial dealings, Alexis found herself confiding in him about the consolidation of the Cassadine holdings. Mason listened attentively offering some ideas for cross checking account fund movement of his own.

After a time, he stood. "And now that I see with my own eyes that you are safe and – content – I will be on my way."

Alexis stood to walk him to the door. "I do want you to know how much I've appreciated your friendship." She told him.

"Even though I had ulterior motives?"

"Even so. Ulterior motives or not, you've been a good friend."

"I plan to continue to be one, if you'll allow it." Mason said. "I will contact some of my own overseas conduits and see if I can sniff out any information that might be of use to you." He smiled at her.

"I see no reason why we can't continue to be friends. And I appreciate your offer."

Alexis' cell phone rang at that moment. She motioned for Mason not to leave yet. "Jax." She said into the phone.

"Alexis. It's a relief to hear your voice. You cell phone was turned off all night." When Alexis didn't deign to answer the subtle accusation, he went on. "Before you give me the 'I am Alexis and I'm fine' speech, I just wanted to let you know that I will be over to see you later this morning, I'm coming to take you out of that fortress for some fresh air and food and to see for myself, that you are 'fine.' Any arguments?" He told her the name of the restaurant. Away from the waterfront, she noted silently.

"None." Alexis said with a smile. "No arguments at all. I'll tell the bodyguards to expect you." She said her goodbyes and hung up. She turned back to Mason, the smile still on her face.

"Ah, that's the Alexis I know." He said. Alexis half-expected him to attempt to hug her before he left, but Mason simply took her hand in his and bent over it, European style. "_A bientot, princesse._" He murmured." I hope this Corinthos take very very good care of you."

Alexis smiled as Mason gave a meaningful glance at Johnny, in place by the door, then sauntered to the elevator. He waved at her once more as the doors slid shut and Alexis returned the wave. She turned to Johnny.

"Could you do me a favor?" she asked.

"Anything you want, Ms. Davis, you got."

"First off, I thought we had agreed to dispense with the 'Ms. Davis' thing." Alexis reminded him.

"It's a hard habit to drop when speaking to a lady." Johnny shrugged, looking slightly embarrassed at the admission. What can I do for you… Alexis?"

Alexis told him about Jax's expected arrival. "Please allow him up without the body search. I can guarantee that it isn't necessary in his case. And I'd hate for any unpleasantness to arise."

Johnny nodded. "I'll make sure there are no problems with your friend. And – Alexis?" he said as Alexis began to turn away. He reached out and touched her arm. "I didn't get a chance to say it before – but I am sorry about what happened to your brother. And if there's anything that I can get for you- anything I can do for you – would you let me know?"

Alexis smiled at Johnny, touched by his concern. "I'll let you know."

Alexis went back into Sonny's apartment and shut the door, feeling better than she had since Sonny had left her this morning. It was comforting to know that she had people looking out for her. And it made her feel safe. If it were true that Helena was baring her fangs again, then she could be in no safer place than here. With that comforting thought enfolding her, she headed back to the couch, picked up one of the folders and went back to work.

Time did its work then, occupying Alexis' mind until she finally thought to stretch and take a break after finishing up a rough draft of the project at hand. She glanced at her watch and realized it was after noon. Jax should be arriving at any time now, but it was strange that she hadn't heard from Sonny yet. He had been so attentive to her since they had returned to the Towers last night. Alexis smiled to herself again, remembering the feel of Sonny's arms around her. She closed her eyes and could almost feel them around her even now. When her eyes opened, her gaze fell on the front door. Was she willing Sonny to walk through the door? Alexis shook her head. No, of course not. She was perfectly capable of taking care of herself. Mason himself had called her a strong, capable woman. Hadn't she always known that for herself? Then who was that woman that ran from her apartment last night?

Alexis exhaled. If that was the case, then why was she hiding out at Sonny's? She remembered what else Mason had said. That it might be unwise in the long run to put off facing the memories in her own apartment. There were too many places where she could go in Port Charles that could jog memories of Stefan. Maybe it would be better if she faced them, starting today. Starting now.


	74. Finding Self

CHAPTER SEVENTY FOUR  
Finding Self 

Alexis closed the door behind her, shutting out the concerned look on Johnny's face. She didn't miss the look of worry in his eyes when she'd come out of Sonny's apartment and crossed the hall to her own. No doubt, he'd seen what state she'd been in last night. And he'd probably been around when Sonny had gone to retrieve her things. She wondered, not for the first time, if Johnny ever slept.

Enough of trying to put off what she'd come to do. Alexis took a deep breath and straightened her spine as she walked into the living room. Funny how quickly she'd gotten used to Kristina's presence because now the place seemed altogether too quiet without her. And enough of stalling, she told herself sternly; this is not why you've come here. She crossed the room to stand before the fireplace, her eyes going to the mantle where several small pieces of antique pottery from Russia and Greece lay, between pictures of her family. She smiled, even though it was a sad one. That had been Kristina's doing. Pictures of Nikolas, of Kristina and Alexis, of Nikolas and Kristina and one of Alexis and Stefan.

She picked up one of the objects, a miniature Faberge egg made for the Catherine the Great, the last great Tsarina of Russia, one of their family's ancestresses. She fondled the smooth shape in her hands and this time, instead of feeling sorrow, she could hear the laughter they'd shared as she'd opened the velvet box it had come in.

Alexis felt some of her old resolve returning. Mason's words had struck a nerve, just as Sonny's concern and caring had done. She had to reclaim her life. She couldn't let Sonny take care of her, even though a part of her rightly cherished it. It wasn't him, it was her. Or more to the truth, it was Helena and the hold she had had on her life since the day she was brought to the Island.

"I won't let you win." Alexis murmured aloud. She walked the length of the mantle, touching each treasure in turn. "Can you hear me, Stefan? I won't let her win." She turned and walked to the window, looking out over the city. Somewhere out there, Helena was celebrating the death of her son.

"You can't have my life too, Helena." Alexis swore aloud. "And I will see to it that you pay for Stefan's murder as well." Maybe not today, or tomorrow, but one day, Helena would pay. She felt a new sense of strength and purpose move through her. Perhaps it was her own Cassadine blood calling out for vengeance, maybe it was Stefan's ghost whispering in her ear; whatever it was, it felt right and good. Helena might celebrate Stefan's death, but Alexis would celebrate his life.

Alexis felt strong again. Still filled with grief yes, but a new power filled her. She replaced the Faberge egg back in its place, smiling at her memories lined up along the mantelpiece. Stefan wasn't dead. He would never really die, as long as he held a place in his heart. And he always would. She could feel his presence now, close to her. Alexis closed her eyes, trying to grasp the whisper of his spirit and draw it near to her; no into her.

No, Stefan wasn't dead… in her mind's eye, she could see her darling half-brother, the darkly golden Greek-Russian knight in shining armor of her childhood. She saw again his deep-set gaze, his slightly sardonic smile, basked once more in the warmth of his approval. Unconsciously, Alexis' own lips curved in response to the look she had grown to know and love so well. She could her his voice calling to her…

"Alexis…"

There was a soft knocking at the front door. As Alexis opened her eyes, she realized that it had been going on for some time. It came again, more insistent than the time before.

"…Ms. Davis? .. Alexis?" What she had first thought was Stefan's voice, she recognized as Johnny's. She shook her head slightly as she moved towards the door. Funny, how Stefan's presence had felt so _real_ to her just then. She supposed that from now on, there would be many times that she would feel him around her, like a guardian angel. She smiled at the thought as she crossed the room and opened the door.

Johnny was standing there, hand raised in mid-knock. His eyes looked over her carefully, concernedly, looking for some sign of distress. "I'm sorry, Alexis." He said, looking slightly embarrassed. "I didn't mean to disturb you; I just wanted to let you know that Mr. Jax was on his way up."

"That's all right, Johnny. I'm sorry I didn't hear you knock the first time. I didn't mean to worry you at all." I'm all right." She answered. "_Really._" She added, seeing the look in his eye and knowing that his concern wasn't going anywhere anytime soon. She smiled at him, trying to reassure him as she stepped out into the hallway.

As if on cue, the elevator doors opened and Jax stepped out. "Alexis." He said, his concern more than evident by the look in his eyes and the tone of his voice. They hugged, then Jax took a step back, studying her.

"Yes, I know. You can say it – I look like hell." Alexis said.

"I have seen you looking better. When was the last time you've eaten?" Was all that Jax would say in reply. "Never mind, we're going to lunch and I do mean a real lunch."

"No need to get bossy – do you hear me arguing with you?" Alexis asked. She turned from him and headed towards Sonny's door. "I just need to pick up your papers and we can go over them over lunch. Does that meet with your approval?"

Alexis glanced at Jax's face as Johnny stepped to Sonny's door and opened it for her. She stepped through and left it open in a silent invitation, but she knew Jax would rather be boiled in oil before he stepped over Sonny's threshold willingly. Her own swift glance challenged him to question her about her obvious ease about entering Sonny's personal space.

"It will have to, won't it?" Is all that he would say. "We don't have to go over the Chicago contracts now, you know."

"Nonsense." Alexis answered. She was back in the living room by now, gathering up the papers she had been working on and putting them all in one folder. "I've been working on them, I have plenty for you to go over and revise and you need it like – yesterday…" As she reached for the last sheet of paper, it slipped from her grasp and fluttered to the floor.

Alexis bent down to retrieve it, but as she did, her vision blurred suddenly and the room to spun sickeningly for a moment. She grabbed for the coffee able edge, and from somewhere beyond her senses, she heard her coffee cup overturn in its saucer as her hand knocked against it clumsily.

"Alexis?" Jax's voice came from far away, but then as he repeated her name, it was closer. Her vision cleared and Alexis looked up just as his arms came around her.

"Are you all right?" he demanded, not liking the sudden paleness that had come into her face. He had heard the change in her voice and had stepped forward into Sonny's doorway just in time to see Alexis sway alarmingly as she tried to catch her balance against the coffee table.

She shivered, but even as Alexis held onto his arm for a moment, the feeling passed. She stood on her own. "I'm fine. _Really_." That last was to both Jax and Johnny, who had stepped into the room and was looking at her with equal expressions of disbelief and concern. "I should have eaten a real breakfast this morning, but I had no appetite, and it's catching up with me. I bent too fast to pick up a piece of paper and got a little light headed. And that's all." She made a move as though going to pick up the errant piece of paper that had started it all, but Jax beat her to it.

He waved it in front of her face. "You don't need to be working yourself in exhaustion."

Alexis plucked the paper from his fingers. "I'm not doing that. With good reason, I haven't slept well and I haven't had an appetite. Under the circumstances, it's not so surprising. But we can go to lunch and I will make a reasonable attempt to choose a healthy meal." Her lips quirked slightly. "Reasonable, Jax."

She checked the folder again, to make sure she had everything she wanted. It was all there except for one file. Alexis thought for a moment, then remembered that it was still in her car. She gathered up her purse and on a whim, pulled out her cell phone and made a quick call. To her disappointment, Sonny did not pick up. Then again, she had reassured him that she didn't need babysitting and she had insisted that he go and take care of his business. He must be a in a meeting that couldn't be interrupted. In spite of that, she felt a let down. That little episode of light-headedness had worried her just a little, and to hear form Sonny would have been nice. Sometimes just the sound of his voice was all the medicine she needed.

But Jax was right; what she needed right now was some food and good company. Ready now, she slipped her arm through his. "I'm ready. Shall we go?"

Faced with her smile, Jax couldn't help but return it. "I'm more than ready." He led her out of the apartment. Anticipating them, Johnny punched the button before they reached the elevator. Alexis smiled her thanks, but Jax turned a less than genial eye on him. "And we won't be needing your – services." Jax told him.

"Jax.." Alexis said. She shook her head slightly.

Jax looked at Johnny, who returned his own stony-faced gaze. "If it's necessary, I can arrange for _legitimate_ protection."

Johnny opened his mouth to respond. Alexis interrupted him.

"Before this gets out of hand, can I say anything?" she asked as both sets of eyes turned to her. "We are not going to have this. This is my life, and I will be the one to decide what is going to happen in it.

"We are going to eat at La Luna Bistro. I have my cell phone, and I'll be perfectly safe with Jax." She told Johnny. "We don't need any bodyguards for the moment – from anyone. I've fought long and hard – longer than either of you could possibly understand, to learn how to live my life under my own rules. And today is going to be all about that. And I don't want to argue any further about it."

And she didn't.


	75. Tough Love

CHAPTER SEVENTY FIVE  
Tough Love 

"You didn't have to drive your own car." Jax said, as he handed her into her chair and took the one opposite her. La Luna Bistro was a little street side cafe. The sky above was clear and blue, the air fresh and clean and a last breath of summer warmth filled the air. No one would have thought that yesterday and the night could have held such horror.

"And why not? The last notes I needed were there, and I'm sure you have plenty to do after you've finished babysitting me." Seeing the change in his face her words created, Alexis knew she was right. She also had noticed that the little cafe he had chosen was well away from the waterfront. There was a small park across the street from the cafe, and from time to time, the sound of children laughing and playing could be heard faintly on the wind. "Spill it Jax; what did you put off doing to hold my hand?"

"I didn't put things off, I simply rearranged my schedule somewhat."

"And how was that?"

Jax shrugged. A bit too nonchalantly. "I had some major corporate officers meetings in Chicago. I had the meeting –

"Not canceled, I hope."

"No, just relocated."

"Relocated…Where? Here? To Port Charles?" Alexis shook her head, " Jax - that wasn't necessary."

"I decided it was. I have my priorities in order - and you happen to top the list at the moment, so don't argue with me. It's not like they would complain about being flown here on my private jet."

"I suppose not, but I only had rough drafts ready for you, not a finished counter-offer."

Jax looked over the papers Alexis had handed him. "Don't worry about it; it gives us a base to start negotiations from. These are people very interested in making the deal. It's lucrative all the way around."

The waiter came by and took their orders. Under Jax's watchful eye, Alexis ordered a fruit salad. "That should me with your approval, I hope."

"I would have preferred you eat something with a little more weight, but it's a start, I suppose." He made his own order and waited until the waiter had taken their menus away. "I would have preferred that you would have taken better care of yourself – and that includes your recent choices. I'm sorry, Alexis, but was staying with Sonny your only option?" Jax's tone said that he was clearly hurt that she hadn't turned to him.

"It was nothing that was planned, Jax. I didn't choose Sonny over you or anything like that. It was just that when I needed someone to be there, before I even knew it, he was there."

"He's been there for a long time, hasn't he, Alexis?"

Alexis shrugged. "He kinda snuck up on me, but yes. He was there before I even realized it."

"I just don't want you hu…" Jax fell silent as Alexis reached across the table and pressed soft fingers against his lips.

"I know, I know. You don't want me hurt. Sonny won't hurt me… ever." Alexis tried to explain.

"How can you be so sure?"

"Neither one of us went looking for this, Jax. I swear it. But it happened, it is happening, and it's..what Sonny and I have found..it's nothing short of a miracle. It's wonderful. And it's real. Of course, no one can guaranteed not being hurt. But it's a chance the two of us are willing to take."

Stunned into silence, Jax looked at Alexis as she looked at him with her beautiful brown eyes filled with – what was it – honesty, trust – _love_? Jax looked at her with new eyes. Even saying his name brought a glow to her entire being that was undeniable. Unwillingly, Jax went over Sonny's past behavior as well. The night he'd come looking for Alexis after the explosion, his eyes had been haunted. He'd never credited Sonny with being able to feel anything for anyone besides himself, but that night had given the lie to his beliefs. And then there was that phone call. Something had definitely changed Sonny. Had it been Alexis?

"I'm surprised that Sonny wasn't with you when I came over."

"He wanted to be, but I knew he had things to take care of, so I told him to go. And as I said before, I don't need babysitting." Alexis said pointedly.

"Ouch." Jax said. "If looks could kill... " he didn't finish the joke, realizing the words he'd used. His face flushed in embarrassment.

"It's all right, Jax. you don't have to tiptoe around me either." Alexis said. "For example, when I said something about Sonny having to leave early this morning to take care of some business, you got a strange look on your face." She leveled her gaze on him, the "cross-examination look" as Jax often called it.

For a minute, Jax looked as though he would try and stall her, but changed his mind as she continued to watch him. Her eyes would miss nothing, Jax decided. Including his telling a lie. He gave in. "I had heard that Sonny might be questioned today for a possible role in Stefan's death."

"You know that's a ridiculous charge!" Alexis told him. Inwardly the pieces fell into place. That was the phone call Sonny had gotten this morning. And he hadn't wanted her to know.

"Are you so sure that this wasn't business as usual for Sonny?" Jax tried to hide it, but his own suspicions were clearly evident.

"I've spent time with him since the explosion; I've looked him in the eyes, Jax. If there was a chance that Sonny had anything at all to do with what happened to my brother, if he had thought this was a first strike against him, he would have told to me."

"You're sure of that?" Jax didn't want to believe it, but with his sudden and unwillingly look into both Sonny and Alexis' recent past, he was being forced to face the fact that this was no passing fancy. Whatever it was, no matter how crazy it seemed, it was happening and it was real. But Jax still had to try, in spite of what he was feeling "You're sure it couldn't be either a first strike or some kind of a retaliatory act?"

"I'd bet my life on it."

"And I don't want it coming to that. been there, done that, you know? Being in Sonny's proximity has put your life on the line more than once." Jax started to press the point further, then changed his mind. He paused, obviously choosing his next words. "If Sonny isn't involved, then you know who that leaves as a suspect."

"You know it as well as I do." Alexis said as she nodded. "Helena. I can't prove it yet, but don't be surprised when it turns out to be her. It would please her to no end to have murdered Stefan and then try and set Sonny up as the reason why."

"Do you think she knows about you and Sonny?" Jax asked. "Would she bother with him?"

"And miss out on a chance to destroy any measure of happiness I might find? Don't be silly, Jax, Helena would jump at the chance." Alexis answered. "I haven't been on her radar of late, but then again, we didn't think any of us were, Stefan or myself, for that matter."

"I don't have to tell you to be careful." Jax said. He reached out to take one of her hands in his. "And take care of yourself. You hands are freezing and you look like you could use some sleep. Don't deny it, I can see that you're not operating at one hundred percent. That little spell of weakness at Sonny's apartment is proof positive of that. And you look terrible."

"Always the charmer, aren't you? Always knowing the right words to sweep a woman right off her feet."

Jax tried frowning at her, but failed. "Well, it's good to see that you are able to joke - even if they are bad jokes. If you would let me, I'd sweep you right out of Port Charles for a little while."

"That's not going to happen. I am not going to let Helena dictate how I am going to live my life. Stefan didn't, he taught Nikolas and I both not to, and it would be an insult to his memory if I allowed her to do it to me now."

"I can see that in the mood that you're in, arguing with you is useless."

"See, being married to me did have its benefits." Alexis said with a tiny smile.

"Ha. Ha." Jax said in reply. "Will you at least stop by GH and let a doctor look at you? You've been through a lot and it's showing. Will you promise me that, at least?"

"If it will ease your worries, then fine, I will let a doctor look at me."

"Good." Before Alexis could stop him, Jax reached for his cell phone and made the call. He was looking all too pleased with himself after he hung up. "Monica is expecting you."

"Did I say today?"

"You didn't not say today."

Alexis sighed. "Fine."


	76. Bittersweet Memories

**CHAPTER SEVENTY SIX  
Bittersweet Memories**

In the end, Alexis found herself glad that Jax had coaxed her out of the penthouse. Her appetite returned somewhat and she and Jax lingered over a last cup of coffee together before she sent him on his way.

"I still don't like the idea of leaving you alone." Jax told her as he prepared to go. He put the last of the papers she'd prepared into his own briefcase and looked at her, all too obviously reluctant to go off and leave her here alone. Even though she insisted that that was exactly what she wanted.

"This was the best medicine you could have given me." Alexis said. She waved a hand around to encompass their surroundings. "The fresh air – and the company – was exactly what I needed. I plan to sit here for a moment more and enjoy myself and think of nothing that I 'have' to do. Isn't that what you wanted?" Before Jax could protest, Alexis held up a hand to shush him. "You have your own business to take care of, and I won't let you put anything off any longer because of me. I insist."

Seeing the look in her eye, Jax reluctantly relented. With conditions. "You will call me when you get back …home?"

"Yes, I will."

"And you will keep your appointment at GH?"

"Yes, I will. And I promise to eat all of my vegetables and clean my plate and say my prayers before I go to bed." Alexis promised. "Now off with you already."

And finally, off he went. Alexis sat back in her chair. To all appearances she was alone; the rest of the afternoon lunch crowd had already gone their way, and Alexis took a few moments more to enjoy the sunshine and the peace, then she let out a long sigh. "Come out, come out, wherever you are." Alexis raised her voice without looking around. Only silence answered her, so she tried another tack. "We both know that Johnny was not about to let me leave the penthouse without any sort of protection, and now that my friend is gone, this pretence is no longer unnecessary."

She waited a moment, and then a man she had only vaguely recognized as being in Sonny's employ materialized before her. Alexis looked up at him. "Not to worry, this is not meant to reflect on your abilities." she told him. "I hadn't registered your presence, and I'm sure my companion hadn't either. I just thought that it might be more efficient if I informed you of my itinerary before we proceeded further." She went on to tell him of her plans. "From here, I plan to go to my office, check into a few things, which should take me about twenty minutes, then I will be going to General Hospital and from there back to the penthouse."

His response was to nod his head respectfully and retreat. Alexis sipped at the last of her coffee. She tried calling Sonny's on her cell phone, but only got his voice mail.

"Just wanted to let you know that I'm fine. And I miss you." She said. Alexis hung up. She wondered if she should worry. She wondered if she should go down to the PCPD. Or should she just trust Sonny. If he needed her, he'd call.

Alexis stood and headed towards her car, smiling a little to herself. Alexis wouldn't admit it to anyone, she could barely admit it to herself, but it was no small degree of comfort knowing that so many people were looking after her well being. Sonny, Jax, Johnny. She buckled herself in and then pulled off into the quickly growing traffic, noting the unassuming sedan that pulled out and took a position behind her in the left hand lane. Two men, not just the one who had come out of hiding at her request. Very efficient, she thought to herself. Her attention was drawn away from them as her phone rang.

"Hello? Hello?" She was answered by the hiss and sway of static, but then she could barely make out Kristina's voice. "Kristina? Where are you? How are you and Nikolas?" She said into the phone. She hoped Kristina's end of the phone call was coming through better than hers was.

"...London still..." Kristina's voice ebbed and flow over the interference. "...olas is in meetings at the moment...will call when he gets a free moment..."

Alexis raised her voice, just to be sure. In her happiness in hearing from her little sister, Alexis forgot about her bodyguards, thinking only about getting a better signal for their phone call. She swung a hard right at the first light just as it turned yellow, then circled around the block, heading back towards the cafe. She drove into the little park across the street and quickly found a parking spot.

"Kristina, is this better?" Alexis got out of her car and started walking down a park path. Even as she asked, the interference on the line began to die down, and Kristina's voice came through.

"Much better!" she exclaimed.

"How are you? And Nikolas?" Alexis asked again." How are things going?

"We're both fine. We're still in London; Nikolas has been in non-stop meetings. This is one of the few that he hasn't required me to be at."

"How is that going?" Alexis asked.

"Learning to be a Cassadine Princess is an eye-opening experience. After Nikolas' last meeting, we have a ball and dinner to attend. Can you believe it?"

"I believe it." Alexis laughed. She was sure that it had been more of an eye-opener for the usually staid and conservative Cassadine retainers who had had the unique experience of coming into contact with Kristina. "But you're surviving?"

"And thriving. And so is Nikolas." Kristina paused. "I had no real idea of the reach of the Cassadines. And to think that you have been responsible for this until Nikolas came of age. I'm awed by it, Alexis. So is Nikolas. He did make me promise to remember to tell you that he says he will call you as soon as he gets his next free moment."

"Tell him for me, not to worry. He's there to handle the European end of the family business, to consolidate his rule, and that comes first. And don't be awed about whatever I have done... it was nothing compared to what Stefan did. He was the one who bore the brunt of the burden." Alexis corrected her. "And in either case, neither one of us considered it a burden. A responsibility to Nikolas, to ensure he came into what was rightfully his."

"All we meant that it was a good thing that now you were free to pursue your own happiness now. Both of us are glad about that. How is Sonny ,by the way?"

"Both of you? Kristina, have you been discussing my love life with my nephew?"

"Only to reassure him that you hadn't wasted your life away serving nothing but the Cassadine concerns. He's very happy about that, you know. And I think so was Stefan."

Alexis sobered a little. "Not according to the last conversation we had."

"Alexis, I'm sorry, I never got a chance to tell you, but the last conversation that we had, it felt like Stefan had been coming to an acceptance of your relationship with Sonny. It's just that everything happened so fast..."

"That's okay, Kristina." Alexis was quick to reassure her. "I can hardly believe that it happened."

"I wouldn't lie to you about something like this, Alexis. But Stefan did say something about wanting your happiness above all else. He even unbent enough to refer to Sonny as something other than that American thug."

"Did he?" Alexis smiled.

"He didn't call him Sonny - but he did refer to him as Michael Corinthos at least once."

It was a bittersweet chuckle that escaped Alexis' lips; she could picture Stefan's expression and the struggle it must have been for him to unbend even that much. But he'd done it – because he'd loved her so. That fact, that his love for her had overcome his reservations and objections in the end warmed her soul.

"He did love you, you know." Kristina said, unknowingly echoing her thoughts

"He loved us all. And we will do his memory proud." Alexis SAID. Before She could let her grief overwhelm her, she changed the subject to the present. Stefan would have expected her to do so. Nikolas may be the Prince, but she was the gatekeeper, now more than ever. "And speaking of which, I have things to see to on this side of the planet, and I'm sure you do too." She and Kristina chatted for a few more minutes and after promising to be in touch again before tomorrow had ended, they said their good byes.

* * *

He had paused to look back at Alexis one last time before he stepped into his car. Jax knew that he understood Alexis as well as anyone, so he recognized her need to stand on her own two feet, even though it might seem pushed to the point of irationability to others. Alexis was lost in thought, no doubt planning her next move. She would keep busy as a solace for the pain. And she would insist on handling it herself. How many people would know that?

Did Sonny? That thought was an unwelcome intrusion into his thoughts. His act of guardian angel, said that he did. Jax's mouth twisted into an angry thin line as he drove down the street. He hadn't understood that. The possibility that Sonny might have come to know Alexis well enough to give her the space she needed didn't set well with him either. The light ahead of him turned red, giving him unwilling time to digest the possibility.

Against his will, Jax remembered Sonny the night he'd come to Alexis' door. And other times when he seen the easy camaraderie between them. In hindsight, this had been a long time coming. He should have seen it, maybe he could have been able to do what - stop it? Even if he had known sooner, was it his right to try and stop it? Even in the name of protecting Alexis?

A crowd of pedestrians had been crossing as he waited for the light to turn; suddenly his thoughts were interrupted by a flash of sunlight on a swirl of chestnut hair. His heart twisted painfully. Even now, after all these years, the tiniest thing could set off his memories of the real reason that made him wary as far as Sonny Corinthos and his emotions were concerned.

Brenda.

What happened to her could never be allowed to happen to Alexis. But Alexis isn't Brenda, his mind argued. She's a fully grown woman, Sonny's lifestyle and power could never overawe her. Brenda had been young, innocent in so many ways. She and Alexis were opposites in so many ways. So, he told himself - he had no right in not accepting her decisions. But his heart couldn't help it... he'd seen what happened to Brenda after getting involved with Sonny. He knew what happened to the people around Sonny- their lives were usually shattered one way or the other. How could he stand by and watch it happen to Alexis?

The blare of the car horn behind him jerked him unpleasantly out of his reverie. Jax looked up to see that the light had turned to green. Disgruntled at himself, Jax began to drive. His phone rang and at first he wanted to ignore it, but checking the Caller ID, he saw it was one of his Chicago contacts.

"Yes, Mr. Daniels... a situation has arrived and you need to return to Chicago sooner than expected? Not a problem...we can have dinner together, another time; meanwhile, we can move the meeting up, and I will alert my pilot to file a flight plan as soon as possible. I'll have him contact you with that information as soon as he gets it."

Jax hung up and then made the necessary phone call to his pilot. Then he called his contact at the D.A.'s office. He told himself that he was protecting Alexis and that he really had no choice, but still, a tiny nagging sense of betrayal niggled at the back of his mind. Cohen was an assistant DA whose acquaintance he had cultivated a long time ago. The man was bright and ambitious, and one never knew when it paid to have friends in the legal system. Like now.

It was easy enough for Jax to steer the conversation towards Sonny Corinthos and the warehouse explosion, and even easier to let Jax's concerns to be subtly gotten across. Cohen took the bait and promised to do his best to be in on the interrogation. He informed Jax that Mr. Corinthos was expected within the hour; he also promised to keep Mr. Jacks informed of the outcome of the proceedings, of course. It was good of him to be so civic-mindedly concerned for the citizens of Port Charles. Anything that contributed to the economic growth and well being of the city, well, blah blah blah...

He told himself that he wasn't doing anything wrong, but somehow that didn't make him feel any better. And so it was when he arrived at his destination, finding Carly and Mason together in the office area of Club 101 didn't make him any happier.

Carly was sitting behind the desk, while Mason hovered just behind her, his posture making it obvious that he had just finished whispering in her ear. Carly's indulgent laugh assured him that it hadn't been business they'd been discussing.

"I hope you've been spending some time and attention on the Chicago deal, because we have a meeting with them in the next hour." Jax said not too nicely.

"Who killed your cat?" Carly snapped back. She narrowed her eyes and stared at him. "Let me guess, you've just come from holding Alexis' hand and she told you where to get off. No wonder you've got your shorts in a twist."

The fact that Alexis had done exactly that did nothing to soothe Jax's already riled up nerves.

"But I bet she doesn't have a problem with Sonny doing the same." Carly added spitefully.

"Sonny was nowhere around. In fact, more than likely, he's down at the PCPD answering the question about his whereabouts in the time leading up to the explosion." Jax snapped at her. "In fact, I know that they are expecting him there this afternoon."

"You can't believe that Sonny had anything to do with this?" Carly asked.

"What I believe is that his life is dangerous and anyone who makes the mistake of getting involved with him runs the risk of getting caught in the crossfire. You should know that as well as I do."

"You've always had a reason to hate Sonny." Carly said. "And I am not going to sit here and waste my breath trying to explain him to you. I'll let Alexis handle that problem. Since she wants to handle everything else about him"

"Sounding a bit jealous, are we, Caroline?" Mason murmured, with just a shade of mockery in his voice.

"Hardly." Carly said; she tossed her head with contempt. "Why should I be?" She looked knowingly up at Mason and smiled at him provocatively.

Jax had had enough. "And now that we have that settled, I need to bring you up to speed on our meeting. So Mason," and he paused to look meaningfully at the other man ".. if you don't mind?"

"Mine? Another time, perhaps I would. But now, not at all." He turned to Carly and taking her hand, drew her up out of her seat. "Business, after all, before pleasure." he said, looking down at her. Mason bent and brushed his lips against hers. "And speaking of pleasure, shall I call you later?"

"How about I call you instead? That will be pleasure, indeed."

Mason chuckled and kissed her lightly again. He clapped Jax on the shoulder as he passed him on the way to the door. He leaned in close. "Take it easy, old man. Your concern is showing. Our mutual friend is a big girl and I'm sure she knows what she's doing."


	77. A Walk in The Park

CHAPTER SEVENTY-SEVEN 

**A Walk in The Park**

After she'd put her phone away, Alexis was surprised to realize how far she had actually walked into the park. She followed the path a bit further as her eye was caught by a tiny island of greenery directly ahead. The path split into two and circled a collection of low growing flowering bushes. The air around it was alive with drifts of butterflies and bumblebees.

Two circular benches framed either side of the verdant oasis, one to each side; close enough to enjoy the scent and sight of the greenery, but at the same time, far enough away as to not disturb the tiny denizens of the park who came to feed.

Alexis sank down on the edge of one of the benches. Next to it, a small bronzed plaque sat on a squat pedestal of smooth granite. She ran her fingers over it's surface, reading the inscription. It was a memory garden, planted by friends and family and dedicated to a loved one's memory. Alexis smiled. What a lovely idea; perhaps she should have one built for Stefan. Should it be at GH, where many could enjoy it, or on Wyndemere, where his family could come and commune with their memories of him?

"Thinking lovely thoughts, Councilor?"

"Actually, I was." Alexis said. In the face of what she'd been feeling, she couldn't find it in her to feel the usually mutual animosity and suspicion she felt whenever she and AJ met.

Maybe it was the expression on her face, or the look in her eyes. Or just maybe AJ Quartemaine was capable of behaving like a human being every once in awhile. In any case, instead of the usual sarcastic comment, she sensed a change in him. His words confirmed that.

"I was sorry to hear about your brother. I didn't know him or anything, of course. But..he was your brother…." His voice trailed off uncertainly, as if he was embarrassed by what he said, or maybe he had wanted to say it differently.

AJ had had a brother once too, Alexis remembered. And Jason was as good as dead to AJ now. Had AJ ever mourned? No, looking into AJ's eyes, Alexis wondered now how long had AJ mourned for the loss of his baby brother?

Alexis allowed her gaze to go back to the plaque. "Actually, I was thinking about how much whoever loved this person enough to plant a living memorial to them must have really loved them. I was thinking about what a gift true love is. I was thinking about how love gives second chances. And third and fourth chances. And I was thinking about how once someone is gone, you don't get a second chance to say I'm sorry, or I love you, or I would have done things differently if I had had a chance.

"The thing is not to waste the lesson their life gives you. Tomorrow isn't promised to anyone," she said to AJ with a vehemence that surprised them both. "You have everything to live for -today. A woman who loves you - a son you finally have a chance to get to know. Why waste your energy on revenge... you go after Carly, Carly goes after you. Sonny gets pulled in and who else? And in the end, who suffers? Courtney? Michael? And for what?"

"Be careful, Ms. Davis." AJ said with a return of his usual mocking tones. "Or I might think that your interests go way further than professional."

"You know what, AJ – at the moment, I really don't care what you think. But here's what I think. I think that you have so much right now within your grasp, if you would only open your eyes to see it. You have a chance for unconditional love. A love that doesn't judge you by what you have, or what you have done, or even what you might do - as long as you keep on giving love and allowing yourself to receive it.

She stared up at him, a challenge in her eyes. "Is revenge really more important to you than love?"

AJ's face changed. "You don't know what it's like to lose..." his voice choked off, and he turned a little away from her, leaving her able only to see his profile, as though unwilling to say more.

Alexis finished his sentence for him. "…I don't know what it's like to lose someone – someone of your own blood - that you love and you hate and you need all at once? Don't be too sure. But that doesn't have to be your whole life. Don't you get it... love is a gift - a true gift from God." Alexis didn't know if she was talking about Stefan, Sonny, Kristina, Nikolas, or even Jax right now, it was all jumbled up all together into one huge burst of feeling that had to let itself out. She was suddenly overflowing with emotions. Her, the cool lady lawyer, the gatekeeper, the consigliore of the Cassadine empire, the woman who prided herself on her cool analytical way of logic and order was feeling in ways she would have never thought possible. And she was reaching out with it to the nearest human being. Even if that happened to be AJ.  
"How long have you looked for an unconditional love? How many times did you think you came close to it, saw the brass ring just out of your reach, dancing just beyond your fingertips and think this time, you were finally going to get it? Only to watch it spin past you and out of your reach?"

She didn't give him a chance to answer. "All of us are looking for that, AJ. We look for it in our friends, our families, in people that we want to love. Some people go their entire life and never find it. But here you are, after all you've done and all that has been done to you."

AJ's body jerked as though her words had hit him physically.

Alexis kept on. "All the hurtful words, the recriminations, the self-doubting and self-hating…. Here you are with a brand new chance to love. Courtney is standing there, ready and willing to love you no matter what any one else says. Are you really willing to throw it all away? And for what? Revenge? Pay-back? Will that warm your heart when you're alone? Can you wrap your arms around revenge in the cold and lonely nights?  
"Love is a gift of grace. It's not there to be used, abused, or left unappreciated or unacknowledged. Cherish it, AJ - embrace it...it's hard to open up to it. I know just how hard it is - and I think – no, I know - you do too."

AJ looked at her as though he'd never seen her before. His mouth opened and closed, like he was searching for words to say but couldn't find any. His eyes changed, his regular cynicism slipped away, replaced by something new.

Alexis looked up at him, recognizing the battle going on inside him. But then his gaze shifted; he looked up and beyond Alexis. His face changed again, his emotions passing over his face suddenly shut themselves away. His eyes flickered back to hers for a moment, unreadable; then without a word to her, AJ turned and walked away. But something in his step was different; AJ was suddenly a man on a mission.

Alexis looked after him for a moment, puzzling at his reaction. But then she turned to see what AJ had seen.

"I only caught the end of that conversation, but whatever you Quartemaine were discussing, must have been pretty serious."

"It's just that a lot of things have been made clear to me in the last few days." Alexis turned back to watch AJ just as he reached a turning in the path. He looked back for a moment and met her eyes, then turned away to go on his way. He quickly disappeared from view. Alexis was left feeling oddly deflated. Something in him had heard her, she tried to convince herself of that. But would it make any difference? Alexis let AJ slip away from her concern and turned her attention to this new arrival. "But back to you…are you trying to make yourself out to be my guardian angel?" she said to Mason. "What are you doing here?"

He shrugged and sat down beside her. "If that is the role I'm to play in your life right now, I don't mind the job. And actually, I ran into Jax, so after learning that the two of you had a long leisurely lunch, I was hoping that you were still here."

Alexis had hoped that with the revelation of her and Sonny's relationship that Mason would be able to remain a friend. She'd meant it when she'd said that she begun to see things with a new-found clarity. Losing Stefan had been a lesson in cherishing the people in her life. And Mason had done his best to be her friend. The fact that he was here now, spoke volumes. She smiled at him.

"If I can always bring a smile to your face, _principessa_, then I am well content." He reached out and took her hand. "I am also glad I found you. I may be in a position to offer my help in a more concrete manner. I've been in contact with some of my European business concerns and I think I may be able to offer you some information in that arena. I know a little about the history of your family..most specifically your step-mother. I think her dealings would be of interest to you, yes?"

Alexis shuddered in spite of herself. "Yes, definitely. But please don't ever refer to her as my step-mother. She's never been anything remotely resembling a mother to me –she's always been just Helena. The hate and loathing between us is mutual. She was barely a mother to her own children – except for her darling Stavros. And he was just as cruel and sadistic as she was."

"I'm sorry, Alexis. I just wanted to help you, not hurt you further. I might be able to find out her whereabouts and I thought you and your family might be interested in that,

"If you have any information on her- I want it!"

Mason looked surprised at the sudden venom in her voice. "Alexis? What has she done to you that makes you hate her so?"

"What hasn't she done? She murdered Stefan." Saying the words aloud for the first time, Alexis felt the sting of tears in her eyes.

"Have you gone to the police with your suspicions? Or do you have proof?" he asked, his eyes intent on hers.

Alexis shook her head. "You don't know Helena. She'd never leave a trace to prove her guilt. But sooner or later, she will let me know. That's how she operates."

"And what about you?" Mason gripped her hand tighter. "What will she do to you?"

"Who knows? But I think she'd prefer me alive-for now. If only so that I can hurt, now that Stefan is gone. She's always wanted to rule through Nikolas. This is no doubt one of her plans set in motion to accomplish that."

"Then we need to stop her before she goes any further." Mason said. "I told you about my connections. They may be able to trace her actions through the Cassadine subsidiaries. But I need a list to go by. Would you have one at the office?"

"All that information is at Wyndemere." Alexis said, thinking out loud. "And that modus operandi would suit Helena to a tee. Doing her manipulations in small dark hidden places…"

"Like nasty little bugs?"

"Exactly." Alexis said, flashing him a grim smile. "And I'm going to turn the bright light of day on her machinations. That's how you make them go away. If your connections can find out what is going on within the less obvious Cassadine smaller holdings, they just might lead us to her."

"I don't have the information yet, but if we go over the Cassadine holdings, maybe we can uncover a pattern of stock, bonds and cash movement."

"And that might at least begin to point us in the right direction. Any suspicious or simple out of the ordinary transactions might be a red flag." Alexis said, excitement replacing her anger. "Maybe I can even discover her whereabouts. Nikolas and Kristina are in Europe; and I know my nephew would want to know if she's there or here in the States."

Mason stood up, drawing Alexis with him. "Then I suggest that we head out to Wyndemere right now. The sooner we get on this, the better, right?"

Alexis was about to agree, when she noticed someone approaching them. It was Johnny. Seeing him, she realized how she must have panicked her bodyguards. And obviously Johnny too, to bring him down here. She felt guilty; she hadn't been thinking when the phone call had come. That wasn't like her.

"Actually, I have some other matters that I have to tend to." Alexis said.

"More important than this?" Mason asked. "I don't understand. Shouldn't we get together as soon as possible so that we can find Helena? We should get on this right now."

He was right, this was important, Helena had to be stopped, and if Alexis could catch her red-handed in illegal actions, maybe she could even get Helena jailed for financial fraud. It would be only fitting, even if she couldn't get her convicted for Stefan's death. But then again, she _had_ promised Jax. As much as she hated to admit it, she'd be no good to anyone else if she collapsed because she hadn't taken care of herself. And then everyone would stop what they were doing, all to take care of her. She didn't need that.

Alexis wavered, then made a decision. "I promised Jax I would stop by General Hospital and get a check up. I'm fine…it's just that I was a little light-headed today and he saw it. Let me call you when I've taken care of that and the rest of my errands, and we'll make plans to meet out at the island."

Obviously reluctant to leave her, Mason acquiesced. He glanced over his shoulder and saw the bodyguard. "He looks familiar… ah.. one of your friend's employees, looking after your welfare, no doubt."

"No doubt."

"Well, that's good to know." Mason said. He watched Johnny approach them, not looking especially pleased about the other man's arrival.

Alexis glanced at him, curious about his cryptic tone of voice. After all the effort she'd gone through to make sure he understood where the two of them stood, was he still jealous? Alexis frowned slightly. 

Mason turned to catch her measuring gaze and hurried to explain. "I meant that it's good to know that there's always someone looking out for you."

Before Alexis could question him further, Mason changed the subject. He told her that he'd catch up with her in about two hours and they'd take things from there. She thought he might have kissed her cheek, but Mason gave another look at Johnny, who had stopped a few steps away and simply squeezed her hand in farewell.

Walking away, he paused briefly and nodded coolly at the bodyguard. In a cocky move, he turned back to Alexis. "Take care of yourself and whatever the doctors tells you to do – do it." He told her before he walked away.

Johnny surprised Alexis by looking after him for a long moment before coming over to her. She began apologizing before he could say a word. Halfway through it, she became aware that she was rambling, but Alexis couldn't stop herself.

"Never mind that." Johnny interrupted her. He almost smiled, seeing her acting more like her old self than she had in a long time. But he sobered as he looked at her closely. "But what was that about a doctor? You feelin' okay? Did you faint again?"

"I'll explain it on the way back to our cars." Alexis told him. She sighed to herself silently. Sometimes it was nice to be so well looked after.

But only sometimes.


	78. Hard Questions

CHAPTER SEVENTY EIGHT 

**Hard Questions**

All the interrogation rooms were booked, or so he was told. So he wouldn't mind if they had their discussions right here, did he? The veil of politeness laid over their insolence was the least of Sonny's concerns. And their questions, meant to provoke him only worked to irritate him.

Sonny was determined not to give them the satisfaction of exploding. He wouldn't hand them the rope they were looking for to hang him with. He knew that he was innocent of any involvement with Stefan's death, and he was pretty sure that the detectives interrogating him knew it too. But if they could find a way to hang this on him, they surely would.

So they threw the same questions at him, over and over. Oh the wording might change every now and again, but they were all the same.

Where had he been at the time of the explosion?

Who had he spoken with?

Had he any animosity towards the victims?

What was the relationship between he and his lawyer? After all, the victim was related to her.

If Sonny was furious, it was because he was being forced to waste his time coming down here instead of pursuing his own investigation into who bombed his warehouse - and more importantly- why.

Sonny looked up to see a new suit headed his way. Lawyer, he thought to himself. He schooled his face carefully as the man drew near.

"Mr. Corinthos?" The younger man was clearly nervous as he introduced himself, even though he tried to hide it. Cohen was a definite cookie-cutter lawyer-type. And a newbie from the DA's office at that. Any other time, Sonny might have found this amusing. He might have even enjoyed the cat and mouse baiting he knew was coming. But his worry over Alexis had caused his patience to run thin five minutes after he'd arrived.

"Yeah?" Sonny asked him coolly.

He made an attempt at bravado. "I've been informed that an interrogation room should be opening up shortly."

"So I can hear the same questions phrased twenty different ways all over again?"

Cohen picked up a clipboard and fumbled through the pages. "Well, we do need to ..ahh..clarify ... your statement."

"I haven't made a statement." Sonny told him, still maintaining a cool demeanor. "I came down voluntarily, to answer any questions the PCPD might have that involved a warehouse belonging to my coffee import business. If I'm making a statement, does that mean I'm being held?"

They both knew that there were no grounds to hold him. "We're simply adhering to protocol, Mr. Corinthos."

"Charge me or end this, Mr. Cohen." Sonny said, letting menace underlay his voice as he raised hard eyes to meet Cohen's. "I don't care which. But do what you're going to do."

Cohen swallowed visibly; in response to Sonny's cold gaze, his hand shook and he almost dropped the clipboard. "Just let me check with the commissioner and see how he wants to proceed with this. As far as which way this investigation goes, it's actually his jurisdiction; this is actually his call to make, not the DA's office." He got away from Sonny as quick as he could.

Sonny smiled a grim smile to himself. A smile that faded as he looked across the room to see Carly entering. She saw him, and ignoring the curious stares shooting in her direction, she headed straight for Sonny.

Not sure of what she was doing here, but knowing at the same time that it couldn't be good, Sonny stood to face her. He stiffened in shock and anger as Carly leaned against him and brushed her lips across his cheek.

"What are you doing here, Carly?" he said through clenched teeth.

"Now, now, Sonny. It wouldn't be the smartest thing to do to show that infamously explosive Latino temper in the middle of the police department, would it?" Carly smiled up at him sweetly. She knew she was right and was going to use it for all that it was worth. "It's the most natural thing for a loving wife to come to her husband's side when he's in trouble."

"One: you are no longer my wife. Two: I am in no trouble. Three: If I were in trouble, you would be the _last_ person I would call."

Carly's expression didn't change, except for her eyes. They narrowed dangerously. "You might want to at least try and be nicer to me, Sonny. I could be the answer to your problems. The ones you don't have that is, the ones that have you sitting in the middle of the PCPD."

"Why don't you just tell me what it is you want?"

"I think we need some privacy, don't you?"

Like he wanted to be anywhere alone with her, Sonny thought disgustedly. Still, the sooner he heard her out, the sooner he could get her to leave before she put one of her infamous plans into action. Or did something stupid, just for spite. From the look in her eyes, Sonny could tell that she was in the mood to maybe do exactly that.

Just then, a uniformed officer came up to them. "Mr. Cohen has asked that you come with me now, and he'll meet you in interrogation room number three." He said to Sonny." He'll be along as soon as his meeting with the Commissioner is finished."

"Perfect." Carly all but purred. She turned to the officer. "I'm Caroline Corinthos, I'd like a moment with my husband before this Mr. Cohen comes."

"I don't see where that would be a problem, ma'am." He answered.

Sonny did, but there was nothing he could do about it. As soon as the officer had left them alone in the room, he pulled away from her and walked to the other side of the room. "What is it you want, Carly?"

"Oh, how nice. I come all the way down here to help you, and what do I get? Attitude." She followed him. "Fine. Here's the deal. Whatever's coming your way is something big. Stefan Cassadine was a big-shot, his name was famous around the world. So his death is headline news.. We both know that if the cops can pin this on you - they will. So you need a good offense for a good defense."

"And what has any of this to do with you?"

Carly sat down on the edge of the table, and slowly crossed her legs, baring her thighs provocatively. "I thought it would be obvious. But then again, seeing the company you keep, you haven't been thinking too straight lately. Let me spell it out for you: Before this thing with you and the cops goes on too much longer, you need to present a new and improved image of Sonny Corinthos to any judge and jury - and press - that comes looking your way. And that means a loving wife and family."

While Sonny stared at her in total disbelief, Carly just laughed and adjusted the hem of her skirt. "Of course, that means Michael and I should move back into the penthouse ASAP, of course. And honestly, I think it would be better if Alexis relocated herself from across the hall. Maybe she could move back out to Wyndemere, since it's empty now."

"Listen to you." Sonny said, the disgust plain in his voice. "That's what this is all about; you trying to worm your way back into my life and you trying to get Alexis out of it."

"Like she's going to have time for you anyway. Get real Sonny, Alexis is the consigliore of the Cassadine clan. No not clan - empire. Isn't she out right now taking care of her family's business right now?" As always, Carly's baser instincts knew how to instinctively go for the jugular. "Her nephew is a prince, Sonny. A real live, born with the right blood prince. That means that as far as bloodlines go, she's royalty herself. What's she been doing, hanging around with you? Slumming. Either way, playtime for you and her is over. The circles she's going to be traveling in, the world where Alexis is dealing with, well, let's just say that the air is going to be rarified. The money, the power, the influence, it's way past what either me or you are used to. Do you really think that you can breathe the air up there where she is going to be going?

"Shut up, Carly." Sonny said. "You don't know Alexis, you never have understood her and you never will. And I don't expect you to understand me and her either. But I don't care, because it doesn't matter one damn bit whether you understand anything but this..." Sonny walked over to face her, ignoring the charms she was trying so hard to lay open before him. "Nothing you do, or nothing you say, is going to cause us to get back together. You and me, under the same roof? Ain't gonna happen; not in this lifetime."

"Don't be so quick to turn down my offer." Carly said tightly.

"I don't want your offer and I don't want you! Can I make it any plainer than that?"

"You may not want me, but you are going to need me, whether you like it or not!" Carly said hotly as she shoved herself off of the table. Her eyes blazed up at him. "Let' see if I can make this plain: Your - lawyer - would be the first to agree - first impressions do count. And which do you think would make the better impression - you with a loving wife and family, or you shacking up with your lady lawyer. Oh, the stories I could tell if only the press were to ask. 'Mrs. Corinthos, just how long were the defendant and his lawyer close?' 'How many late nights did they spend together? Overnight trips out of town?' You know, questions like that could end up being very damaging."

Carly looked at him again, triumph in her gaze. "Think about it, Sonny. Door number one, or door number two? In my opinion, door number two kinda destroys credibility for the both of you."

They were interrupted by a knock on the door, which was quickly followed by Cohen's entrance. Carly looked at him, flashing one of her more brilliant smiles, then turned back to Sonny. She leaned in close, and under the pretext of brushing her lips against his cheek she whispered to him. "Don't be sure that you can afford to destroy that credibility, Sonny. And don't be so sure you don't need me."

Sonny looked after her as she strolled out of the room without a backwards glance. Cohen looked at her and then back to Sonny. He gestured to a seat. "Let's go over your stateme… I mean, your answers to these questions, shall we, Mr. Corinthos?"

Sonny turned a hard glare on the ADA. Then he sat.

It was going to be a long afternoon.


	79. Fringe Benefits

CHAPTER SEVENTY NINE  
Fringe Benefits 

Johnny was sitting on a bench outside of General Hospital. He held a newspaper in his hands; his body seemed relaxed, but his eyes were anything but. They swept the area continuously, checking out everything and everybody who passed by. Seeing Alexis come out, he stood up to meet her.

"How did the thing with the doctor go?"

"It was just a check up. Blood pressure, fine, breathing, fine. Nothing turned up." Johnny looked at her expectantly. "Okay, Monica Quartemaine took the usual tests of my bodily fluids and promised to call me with the results. Happy?"

Johnny's expression never changed. "Ecstatic. Can't you tell?"

"You don't have to worry about me, you know. It isn't part of your job."

"Think of it as a fringe benefit." Johnny said. They walked towards the parking lot in a friendly enough silence. After a few moments, something nagged at Alexis as a feeling of unease came over her. It was strange. She wasn't feeling as though it was about her, but the threat was beyond her somehow… It had happened the first time when she was first arriving at GH. She'd managed to put it from her mind while she went through the motions of her exam with Monica, but now here it was again. This time, she gave into it a little, trying to figure it out. This time Alexis found herself feeling stifled, almost claustrophobic and she didn't known why she was feeling this way.

And now, it came back again, stronger than ever and she couldn't, wouldn't ignore it any longer.

All of a sudden, Alexis knew what she was feeling and why. As crazy as it was, she didn't question it. Alexis hesitated for just a moment, then spoke. "I am worried about Sonny, Johnny. Can you tell me anything about what he planned to do today?"

Johnny's answer was to continue to walk towards their cars, eyes straight ahead. Alexis stopped walking, forcing him to stop as well. He turned to look at her. It was clear in his face that he knew that she knew better than to ask about Sonny's business affairs. If Sonny wanted to tell her, then that was fine, but Johnny's first loyalty was to his boss. Alexis knew it, hated even thinking about asking Johnny, but something in her wouldn't let her let it go.

"Johnny, you know I would never pry into Sonny's affairs unless it was absolutely necessary. I only want to know if this has anything to do with Stefan. If it is, then I'm involved and I need to know."

Johnny looked away, clearly conflicted.

"Johnny, please." Alexis said. She reached out and touched him on the arm. "Everyone is trying to take care of me; I get that. But who is taking care of Sonny? Who else can take care of him the way I can?" That question brought Johnny's eyes around to meet hers, albeit unwillingly. "Who, Johnny? That's why I have to know."

Johnny couldn't deny the heartfelt plea in her voice or eyes. He exhaled slowly. "He was going down to the PCPD this afternoon." Under her gaze, he gave her more. "I talked to him on his cell while you were inside. He's there now."

Alexis looked at him for a moment longer, then began walking so quickly towards her car that Johnny had to hurry to catch up with her. "Alexis, wait."

But she was already dialing on her cell phone. "Let me talk to Commissioner Scorpio." he heard her say.

At least he knew where they were headed next.

* * *

Sonny felt like he was going to scream. Being in this drab grey room for so long was working on his nerves overtime. It wasn't a small place, but the walls felt like they were about to close in on him anyway. Were the cops hoping that he would crack under the strain of being in here for so long? Well, he wasn't about to give them the satisfaction. He mastered his discomfort, raising defiant eyes to his adversaries.

So in answer to their questions… He had been in a meeting with coffee exporters from Hawaii…He gave them their names and phone numbers, as well as the hotels they'd stayed at and the restaurants where they had eaten. If necessary, he could provide credit card bills to show where and when the meal they had shared had taken place….No, he'd had no reason for any antagonism towards Stefan Cassadine, and no, as far as he knew Stefan Cassadine had had no reason to have any animosity towards him.

That last part was a lie, of course. He remembered Stefan's face when he'd come in and found he and Alexis together in the bungalow. He had hid most of it behind his well-schooled, ever polite demeanor, but the disapproval had been clear to see in his eyes. But had it been animosity? Had Stefan truly hated him for daring to love Alexis?

It was a sobering thought.

But anything that kept his mind off of the walls threatening to close in on his soul was a good thing.

* * *

Johnny never felt good about coming near a police station. Call it professional caution. Today he felt even worse abut it. He knew that Sonny was not going to be thrilled to see Alexis here. He wasn't too sure how happy he was feeling about it, either. Say what she might about being okay, Johnny had seen how pale she'd looked at the penthouse. It was one reason why he hadn't argued with that Jacks guy when he'd insisted on taking Alexis out into the fresh air and why he had assigned two shadows to her, so she could be seen without it being known. He'd wanted her to enjoy a meal in peace.

Not that that had worked anyways.

But yeah, he was liking this even less. She didn't look like she was at one hundred percent.

As they arrived at the PCPD, Alexis turned to Johnny. "I don't want him to know about my stopover at GH."

"You mean your nearly passing out this morning?" Johnny asked. "Or the fact that you agreed to get a check-up?"

Hearing the scolding tone in his voice, Alexis flushed slightly. "Both. Sonny has enough on his mind without needing to have one more worry about me."

"Somehow, I don't think he'd agree."

"You could wait in the car, you know."

"No, ma'am, Miss Davis. Where you go, I go."

They went on up the stairs and stepped inside. Johnny stopped just inside the door and Alexis put her own worries and concerns aside. She put on her game face, and walked forward.

"Commissioner." Her voice was quiet yet it carried across the loud hum of conversation filling the room.

Mac Scorpio, deep in conversation with a younger man, turned at the sound of her voice. Alexis quickly looked over his companion. Young. Serious, suited. DA office. That kicked the stakes up a notch. It wasn't like they'd sent over a heavy hitter, but the DA's office was clearly making its interest known. Another lawyer might have been intimidated. Or gotten tricked into going on the defensive in hopes of gaining the mental advantage and even perhaps learning more than a client would wish to be known. A classic textbook tactic. Another lawyer might panic and fall for it.

But Alexis wasn't just another lawyer.

"I understand that Sonny Corinthos has volunteered himself for questioning in the matter of the explosion at his warehouse?" Best to stick to the plain facts of the matter.

"Yes, that's right. I can't say that he's been as cooperative as we would have liked." Mac had the decency to follow her lead. The ADA did not.

"I'm David Cohen, from the District Attorney's office." He introduced himself importantly. "Considering that there's a very good chance of him facing a murder charge, or at the very least manslaughter, for the death of Stefan Cassadine." Cohen announced a shade dramatically. He expected this woman lawyer to launch a belligerent defense of her client or else to begin the bargaining process that would give Sonny Corinthos into his hands. Cohen could already see he headlines lauding him as the man who took down the reputed Crime Boss of Port Charles.  
"Mr. Corinthos was very much the uncooperative defendant. Perhaps you could make him see the error in his ways and we could continue this questioning with a more positive outcome than what we've already experienced."

Alexis found that his arrogance – and his blatant ambition - was past annoying.

"That's supposing that there was any errors in 'his ways'." Alexis said. "Defendant? Mr. Corinthos is in no way a defendant in this matter. Was there a warrant issued for his arrest? I don't think so. In fact I know so. You asked the questions. He answered them. If you feel dissatisfied with his answers, if you feel he was being less than truthful to you, if in fact, you feel that you have any evidence that gives the lie to the information he has already graciously provided, then charge him with a crime." She leveled a hard stare Cohen. "Murder? Manslaughter? Do you have anything besides your unfounded suspicions to substantiate your charges? Or shall I ask Mr. Corinthos if he feels a defamation suit is n order."

"There..there aren't any charges." Cohen spluttered. He couldn't press charges. They wouldn't get past the preliminary hearing and he'd be laughed out of court by any judge on the bench. He looked to Mac for support, but the Commissioner stayed silent. In his arrogance, the ADA had overstepped his bounds legally and Mac knew it. He wasn't going to compromise his office by getting dragged into a verbal war he knew he couldn't win. There was no proof of Corinthos doing anything criminal and they all knew it. Cohen had tried to bluff the wrong lawyer.

"Why is that? Is there no evidence linking Mr. Corinthos to this crime?" Alexis asked.

Cohen shook his head. "Not at this time…" he began.

"This time is all that I am interested in." Alexis cut him off in mid-sentence. "And if that's the case- that there _is _no case, then there will be no more questioning at this time. Mr. Corinthos came down here to be cooperative, not to be harassed."

"There was no harassment going on here, Ms. Davis." Mac said. "We asked him to come down in hopes that he could shed some light on the events that would help us in our investigation. I am sorry about your brother, Alexis. You know that I will do everything in my power to find out who is responsible."

"Thank you, Mac. I appreciate that." Alexis thawed momentarily. But then as she faced the ADA, Alexis was all lawyer again. "However, I'm sure Sonny did his best to provide whatever information he has. " Alexis told him. "It's just a hunch for now, Commissioner, but I think that the line between questioning and harassment has been drawn pretty thin. In fact, I think I'd like to speak with Mr. Corinthos now, so that I can be reassured that he has not been harassed." Alexis turned her attention back to Cohen. "If he says that he has, we'll be speaking again. Very soon." And her tone suggested that if they did, the conversation would definitely not bode well for him.

"I'm sure that it won't be necessary." Cohen said stiffly. He couldn't resist a parting shot, however. "At least for now."

"Again, for now, is all I'm concerned with." Alexis said. She turned her attention to Mac, dismissing the ADA. "May I see him now?"

A few minutes later, Alexis was shown into an interrogation room. She summoned up a smile for Sonny's sake as he looked up and saw her. To anyone else's eyes, he looked fine, but Alexis saw the barely visible lines of strain in his face. She knew how much sitting in this closed room had cost him.

As the door shut behind her, she moved to the table and sat opposite him. They were both all too aware of the wall of mirrored glass behind them and conducted themselves accordingly. They didn't dare touch, but had to satisfy themselves with looking deep into one another's eyes. They didn't need anything else for the moment. It was lucky that they were alone. The trust and sharing that flowed between them was almost palpable.

"Why didn't you tell me you were coming down here.?" Alexis said, after she had gotten her full of looking at him.

"Hey, I hang around some pretty smart legal types. I knew they had nothing on me, so I did it to keep them from coming around to the penthouse and being annoying. You need the peace and quiet."

"I needed for you to be honest with me."

"What? Did I lie?" Sonny asked, the first hint of a twinkle coming back into his eyes.

"A lie of omission, maybe."

"Maybe." Alexis could hear the grin in his voice, even if he kept it from his face. "But from the look in your eyes…"

"And what look would that be?"

"Like the cat that ate the canary. I hope Cohen was tasty. And like I was saying, from the look in your eyes, all I want to know is what're we doing wasting our time here? " Sonny asked, standing up. "Let's blow the mickey mouse operation."

"With pleasure." Alexis went to the door and knocked. When the uniformed officer answered it, she asked if there was anything else the Commissioner wanted from her or Mr. Corinthos.

"No, ma'am." She was told. "The Commissioner spoke with the DA's office direct and Mr. Corinthos is free to go."

They walked through the precinct room, Alexis first, with Sonny close behind her. Cohen was still there, standing at the door to Mac's office, getting what seemed to be a pretty stern reprimand from him. His eyes flicked over to them; Sonny stilled an urge to grin in the man's face.

He frowned as his eyes swept the station. "You came here alone?"

"No. Johnny escorted me. Or should I say, first he had me shadowed, and _then_ he escorted me." Alexis answered him as they exited through the doors. Once outside, she paused on the steps. "And might I add, that was another lie of omission, not letting me know that you had guards put on me."

"You couldn't have been surprised, Alexis." Sonny said. He took her elbow and walked her down the stairs, enjoying this little excuse to touch her. "I'll apologize for not telling you about my coming down to the PCPD, but I'm not going to apologize for doing whatever I can to keep you safe."

"What am I going to do with you?" Alexis asked, smiling at him in spite of the stern tone she tried to take with him.

"Anything you want to Councilor," Sonny answered, his voice softening in spite of himself.. "Anything at all…."

At the open invitation in his voice, Alexis wanted nothing more at the moment then to feel his arms around her. Sonny still held her by the elbow. She settled for allowing her arm to drop and letting her hand brush against his; her fingers and his found one another's and briefly entwined.

Sonny allowed himself to get lost in Alexis' eyes for a second time, but it was all too brief. He'd seen Max by his car, along with Johnny. Both of them were alert and watching the street. But even as he noticed them, he saw Johnny react as his cell phone rang. He spoke briefly into it for a few minutes, then looked up at Sonny. With a sigh, he beckoned him over.

"News for me?" Sonny asked.

Johnny nodded. "The call came in that you were expecting. They're ready to meet with you."

"I'll call them back in the car." Sonny turned back to Alexis. "I'm sorry..I got..stuff.. I gotta take care of. It's important."

But he couldn't tell her what it was about. She knew it would be like this going in, Alexis thought to herself with a sigh. But even so, it hurt. Johnny looked from Sonny to Alexis, then he dropped his eyes and stepped away, giving Sonny and Alexis some obviously needed privacy.

Sonny saw the hurt in her eyes too, no matter how quickly she tried to mask it."Hey…hey, I don't have to go…"

"Nonsense. Is it important? Of course it is. I saw your face." Alexis asked and answered her own question. "Yu go and do what it is you have to do."

"Are you sure?" Sonny looked at Alexis again. He hadn't noticed it before, but she did look a little worn out. She'd probably tired herself out. "Maybe I should just take you home and take care of you instead of business."

"No." Alexis shook her head and smiled at Sonny. "You have business to take care of, and as a matter of fact, so do I. I have a clue as to what Helena might have been up to lately that I want to follow up on, and I'll need to go out to Wyndemere to look over the Cassadine financial records to find out what I want to know. It's going to take a few hours at least.

"So what do you say to the plan that you take care of your business, I'll take care of mine, whoever is done first will call the other and then we'll see what we can do about taking care of each other." Alexis said. "You worry about me; well, I know that sitting in the PCPD was no walk in the park for you, no matter how hard you try and pretend otherwise, so just for the record, let it be said that I worry about you too."

Sonny saw past her gentle joking to her concern. "You don't have to worry about me."

"Let's just say I want to."

"Can I state for the record that I'm not complaining? And, your idea sounds like a plan, Councilor. Let's shoot for a late dinner." He turned to Johnny, who was still hovering a few steps away. "Johnny – you stay with Alexis, keep an eye on things till she gets home." Before Alexis could protest, he turned back to her. "He's one of my best and you get nothing but my best." He said, stopping the argument before it was begun.


	80. Taking Her Place

CHAPTER EIGHTY  
Taking Her Place 

Alexis returned to her apartment to search for a few key files and then met Mason at the docks almost an hour minutes later. If she was quiet on the ride over, he made none of his usual comments. More than likely, he realized the seriousness of the situation and was only concerned with helping her find out if what they both had come to suspect was true.

Alexis had wandered to a point on the side of the boat where she could be alone for a moment. Staring out over the water, she thought abut how different this boat ride from all the others she had taken out to the island. Her heart felt heavy and ached with a fresh renewal of grief.

Her phone rang and Sonny's voice came on as soon as she answered it.

"Is everything all right?" she asked anxiously.

"I called to ask you the same thing." Sonny said.

"I'm n my way to Wyndemere and I'm as well as I can be expect to be." Alexis said. She hesitated. "I miss him, Sonny. I miss knowing that he's waiting for me. I miss knowing he's here…" She shook her head, forcing her grief aside. "I'm okay…really I am."

"Alexis…"

"I'm okay." She insisted. She tried for a lighter tone. "I'm glad you called."

"Yeah. Me too." Sonny hesitated.

"What is it, Sonny?" Alexis picked up on the hesitation in his voice. There was something he didn't want to tell her. "What is it?"

"It's nothing serious. It's just that I may be a little longer getting home than I expected."

"And it's nothing serious?"

"It's things that can only be taken care of by me, but it's nothing dangerous. I promise."

He was telling her all that he could. Alexis wanted to let him know that she understood. "Well, if you promise, then of course...but being late is gonna cost ya, Corinthos."

"Name your price."

"Hmmm… breakfast in bed might be a way to start off."

"You got it." Sonny said. He could feel her smile through the phone and it made what he had to do more bearable. "Look, I gotta go."

"See you soon?"

"As soon as I'm able."

"I'll be waiting."

Sonny hung up. He rubbed one hand across his face, tired by thoughts of the hours ahead. Things were not as simple as he had led Alexis to believe. And it had all started with the meeting he'd had right after he'd left her.

It was with a team of demolition experts that he had had brought in. Sonny had used his contacts to acquire his own samples of the bomb remnants and had them turned over to his team. He'd put this plan into play after he'd left Alexis that morning. His mind went back to the conversation they'd had.

"The bomb was meant to be more than lethal."

"Aren't most bombs?" Sonny asked.

"Some were meant to be more incendiary than others, such as this was. The flames burn hotter and faster, meaning its function was not just to kill – but to incinerate. Leaving no traces of itself."

"So, no body to be found."

"That's one theory, yes. There is another aspect of this bomb that was – interesting. The wiring was done in a manner that is consistent with certain foreign-born techniques."

"You're saying that the bomb was built outside the U.S.?"

"Or at the very least, the components were. It's highly improbable that anyone would take the chance of building a bomb and then trying to smuggle it into the country."

"Can you tell me its origins?"

"Not at this time, but we're hopeful that with further analysis, and perhaps a second search of the bomb site, that information will be forthcoming."

Sonny had left them to it. That wasn't the end of his duties. He arranged for them to have access to the bombed out warehouse, and then turned his attention to other matters.

He was leaving that meeting when his phone rang. More complications. In the wake of the bombing, there were concerned rumblings up and down the East Coast. Friend and foe alike wondered what Sonny's plan of action would be. Was this the beginning of a war, a vendetta, or a scorched-earth blood feud? So there were multiple phone calls to make, some in conference, some in private, assurances exchanged, fears smoothed away and challenges met. He could not be seen a weak and thereby invite further attacks, neither could he be seen as flying off into a mindless rage, striking out at innocent parties or imagined foes. Past misgivings were being re-aired, sparks of conflict scattering throughout the organization and it was Sonny's responsibility to see that each and every one of them were extinguished.

He had his work cut out for him.

* * *

Once they arrived at Wyndemere, Alexis led Mason to what had been Stefan's office. Johnny followed them, silent and expressionless; in the public eye he was just the perfect bodyguard again. Seeing without being seen, hearing without being heard.

Her steps slowed as they approached the room. Alexis realized that she'd avoided it since she'd learned of the explosion. And was glad she had put it off until she didn't have to go into alone. Even so, she paused at the threshold, looking around. The room was totally decorated to Stefan's personal taste. Expensive, opulent, yet, but nonetheless imbued with a dark understated elegance that was well suited to the man that had ruled there. Alexis looked at the massive leather chair sitting behind the massive mahogany desk. She could almost see Stefan sitting there, his lips carved in his sardonic smile. Conversations from their past echoed in her ears.

"Alexis?" Mason's voice shook her from her reverie. "Are you all right?"

She shook her head. "I'm fine. Just..just memories…" she said softly. And there would be time for those later. It was the present and the future she had to concentrate on. "let's get to it.." she said as she stepped into the room.

Alexis walked straight to the desk, laying her briefcase on top. She walked around it, but hesitated as she faced the chair.

Mason came around the opposite side of the desk to face her. He placed his hands on either side of the chair. "Isn't this where the CEO of the Cassadines conducts business?"

Alexis nodded, not trusting herself to speak past the tight lump of tears in her throat. _Stefan should be here…_ she thought to herself. _This was his domain…_

"Then," Mason said, gently. "Isn't this yours now?"

He was right. Alexis took a deep breath.

And sat.


	81. Faded Blossoms

CHAPTER EIGHTY ONE  
Faded Blossoms 

Soon after they had begun working, Mason's contact had called in with the list they'd been waiting for. The list contained a number of small and obscure Cassadine subsidiaries, usually not worth more than a bi-annual inspection. The perfect conduits through which Helena could wreak her particular brand of havoc. She began pulling files for these companies and Mason began comparing the financial data for the last few quarters.

In a few hours every inch of the desk was covered with papers and spreadsheets. Mason had commandeered the laptop and was busy inputting more data into it, while Alexis went through the multitude of files in the office, pulling the ones relevant to their line of research, reading aloud facts and figures that only confirmed their worse fears.

"It looks as though unaccounted funds has been flowing through these companies for at least the last year." Mason said.

"Let's be honest, it's probably been longer than that." Alexis said. She finished with the folder she held in her hands. "Helena has obviously been quite the busy little queen bee."

"So what's the plan?"

"I'm not sure. I'll have to consult with Nikolas first before deciding on the best way to plug these leaks."

"But he's not here. Shouldn't you take action immediately? Don't you have the power and the authority to act?"

"With Stefan gone, legally, his authority immediately transferred to me. But that has nothing to do with it. Nikolas is the head of the family, not I. It's for him to decide how to deal with his grandmother."

"Time may be of the essence."

"I disagree. Or at least, it's not as vital as it may seem to be. Whatever Helena has done is done. All we can do is to lock up the barn after the horse has departed. What we need to do now is determine how much damage has been done, how much Helena has managed to divert for her own use and attempt to guess what she is planning to do next. None of which is going to be accomplished tonight." She glanced at the clock. "And I've kept you far too long as it is. I'm sure you had other plans."

"Nothing that couldn't be put off for a time." Mason told her. "I was glad to be of some help."

They chatted easily as Alexis walked him down to the dock. Johnny remained a few steps behind.

"You're not returning to Port Charles?" Mason asked, just before he boarded.

"I will later, there are a few other matters I need to see to first." Alexis said. "I really want to thank you for the information you've given me. Yu really have no idea how much you helped me today.

Mason smiled at her and took her hand. "I was happy to do it. Call on me for whatever you need." He brought her hand to his lips and after kissing it, looked at her for a long moment.

'What is it?" Alexis asked, distracted by the intensity of his gaze.

"Just seeing you here, with Wyndemere in the background; it really brings home the fact that you are, indeed, royalty." Mason said. He smiled at her, a hint of his usual cockiness returning. "I hope this humble servant is allowed to bask in your presence very soon, _principessa._."

Alexis smiled and waved at Mason as the launch left the dock. Turning around, she looked up at Wyndermere. Royalty. So what did that make her in Nikolas' absence? Or Stefan's? Queen of the castle? She didn't recognize the strange mood she found herself slipping into, but she didn't feel any need to escape it.

"Johnny, I'm going for a walk along the beach."

Johnny nodded, dropping back a discreet distance, but still followed her.

Alexis wandered down along the shore, letting her thoughts wander as well, and found herself thinking of all the many things that had brought her to this point in her life. Her early terror of Helena, her loyalty to first Stefan, and then Nikolas, her life first as a poor Cassadine relation changed suddenly to a daughter of the House. Her fight with Stefan to be accepted as an equal, and at the last to finally be acknowledged as a true Cassadine.

Her fingers went up to briefly caress the Cassadine medallion she wore. What had it come to mean to her? It had brought her the hatred of Helena. Not that she was discriminating in her hate. If she had ever loved, it had been Stavros only; and she had twisted him into a shadow of her own megalomaniac self.

Stefan had resisted her, had shown his true nobility of soul and it had put hi at odds with his mother, as he had dedicated his life into keep Nikolas clear of her tainted version of love while all the while keeping his nephew's inheritance in trust. Alexis had come to share his vision of what the Cassadines could and would be.

Her Cassadine inheritance had also brought her to Port Charles, where she had found out who she really was. The love child of her father. It had driven she and Stefan apart for a time, but the bonds they had forged could not be so easily sundered. It was their shared Cassadine nature that had caused them to war so fiercely. And it was the best of the Cassadine legacy, that of loyalty that had gotten them past their differences in the end and brought them back to one another, to re-join forces, their love and respect grown stronger than ever.

Alexis smiled a bittersweet smile. She had grown to truly love Stefan more than she had when she was a child. Back when she had first come to the island, he had indeed been the golden knight of her dreams. She'd even had a childish crush on her cousin. But as an adult, her love for him had truly blossomed. And it had been shared.

She found herself at the cottage where she and Sonny had spent the night and walked onto the terrace. Alexis settled herself on one of the sun warmed stone benches and basked in the last of the sun's rays. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a faded blossom, a remnant of the flowers she had adorned the cottage with. Alexis picked it up, caressing the fragile dried petals with her fingertips.

Following her Cassadine path had also brought her the love of two very different men, Ned and Sonny. She and Ned had so many things in common, most of all of being the gatekeepers for their respective families. They had understood each other in ways many others could not have understood, of how such responsibility shaped who they were, that it had been no surprise that their affection had turned so quickly to love. But there had been a certain level that Ned had never been able to truly accept her on. She didn't blame him, she couldn't. The very same thing that enabled him to act as a gatekeeper had sought to do the same to her. He simply hadn't realized that what he wanted her to be would quench who she was. And in the end was why they hadn't been able to remain together. She actually wished he and Kristina well. Maybe her free spiritedness would free his as well.

If only Stefan had come to know Sonny as she had. Sonny had been able to accept her exactly as she was; it was the reason why they had become friends to begin with. Who would have ever thought that they would come to this place, the place when they would actually find love with one another. It really wasn't surprising, once she'd had tie to accept it and understand it. Sonny had a nobility of spirit that Stefan had never had a chance to encounter, even though it was very much like her half-brother's. Alexis hadn't known it at first either, but as their association had turned to friendship and their trust had deepened and brought them even closer, she had come to see Sonny as he really was, had finally been allowed past the hardened exterior that he presented to the world.

It wasn't that she turned a blind eye to, or approved of the world Sonny ruled in, but she, being a Cassadine, was prepared more than most to understand it. His world wasn't so different from the world she and Stefan existed in. Alliances were made and broken, territories established and disputes resolved in the shady area where the law of normal people didn't necessarily apply.

She had wanted the chance to explain this to Stefan, but she'd never gotten the chance. And for that, she would forever grieve.

She became aware of a voice calling her name from a distance. She turned back towards the house and saw Mrs. Landsbury gesturing and calling to catch her attention.

"There's a gentleman come to see you, Miss Davis." The older woman explained. "Otherwise, I wouldn't have intruded."

"It's all right, Mrs. Landsbury; you did the right thing."

The housekeeper nodded her understanding. She moved as though to return to her duties then turned back to Alexis. "I don't mean to intrude.."

"It's all right. " Alexis assured her. Mrs. Landsbury was a part of the Cassadine household for years. Stefan had brought her over from one of their European holdings. She'd always been a loyal retainer, devoted to the care and comfort of Stefan. She must be feeling more than a little lost without him.

"It's just that, Master Stefan's personal things. What shall I do about them? Shall I pack them away? Or is there anything that you or young Master Nikolas would want to keep for yourselves? Oh my… Her face began to crumple and tears appeared in her eyes. "I suppose that I shouldn't refer to him as young Master any more. He is the Cassadine Prince now in very way…". Try as she might to hold it back, a sob caught in her throat and choked her words off. "My apologies, Miss Davis… I shouldn't behave so…"

Alexis reached out and patted the woman's shoulder. "It's all right, Mrs. Landsbury. We all miss Stefan and it's all right to mourn him." Mrs. Lansbury's tears brought a welling-up in her eyes as well. "I'm sorry I haven't come to you and see how you were holding up. This has had to have been a heavy shock to you as well."

She stayed a few minutes to comfort her, taking the time to share a few moments of memories and grief. She promised to meet her in Stefan's room as soon as she'd seen to her visitor. With that in mind, she left the housekeeper and went to the main study. As Alexis entered the room to find a man waiting there for her, Johnny checked her steps.

"Johnny, I know who this is. He's an investigator hired by Jax." She tried to explain.

Johnny shook his head. "Then as a professional, he won't mind if I follow protocol."

He stepped forward to face the newcomer. "Is there anything I'll find that I shouldn't?" he asked. After a glance at Alexis, the man carefully opened his jacket with his left hand and showed his shoulder holster. Johnny relieved him of his weapon and went on to quickly search his person.

"You'll get this back on your way out." He told the man, before retreating to the far end of the room, far enough to give them privacy, but close enough to keep a close eye on them both as well.

Alexis gestured to the man to take a seat opposite her as she sat the desk. He was from Jax's investigators and he had news that she'd been waiting for. He handed her a folder and a bulky manila envelope. Alexis leafed through the contents of the folder as he made his report. It was everything that Alexis had already suspected Carly of. And more. Her whereabouts during the time she was supposedly missing showed that she'd been alive and more than well. There were notarized documents identifying her on more than one occasion as coming into town for supplies. There was even a tape from a store with her on it, the investigator told her.

They hadn't had an end time on tracking her whereabouts, he went on to explain, so they also had transcripts following her movements since her miraculous return from the dead. The night of the storm, she had snuck out of her mother's brownstone for what they'd assumed was a romantic rendezvous. All of the information was there in the package he'd brought her.

Alexis thanked him and ended the contract. She watched as Johnny returned his weapon and showed him out. She'd found out what she'd wanted to know, but in her present mood, it mattered little enough. Alexis slid the report into a desk drawer. She'd go over the details later. Alexis shut the drawer and stood. She'd promised Mrs. Landsbury that they go to Stefan's private suite. It was only right and proper that she was the first person to do so. But it wasn't going to be an easy task.

* * *

Sonny finished with yet another phone call and took a moment to close his eyes and take a breather before the next. Without making the conscious effort, his mind went to Alexis. The warmth of her parting smile this afternoon rippled through him with sweet resonance. It had stayed with Sonny, even as Max had drove him towards his next meeting. He'd walked her to her car and handed her in himself, standing on the sidewalk until she had pulled off into traffic and Johnny had followed her in his own ride. How had he gotten so lucky to end up with a woman like Alexis in his life? Of all the loves he'd had before, this was the first one that made him aware of himself as a man, a man who saw he could change, that he could be better, wanted to be better, to be worthy of his best self, and more importantly, be worthy of this amazing woman.

Of all the loves he'd had before…his mind went, however unwillingly, to Carly and her ridiculous offer. What had she been thinking?


	82. A Cold Truth

CHAPTER EIGHTY TWO  
A Cold Truth 

"What were you thinking?"

Carly gritted her teeth and stared straight ahead. How many times was she going to have to sit here and listen to that question. He'd asked it a million times already. Even while they ate and drank and made merry. And now, here we go again.

When she'd come out of the PCPD, her cell phone had rang. In her anger, she almost hadn't answered it. And she'd made it clear to her caller quickly enough, that she was in no mood for games. But then, her thoughts had come to dwell oh-so-satisfyingly on revenge. Yes, she would let her caller take her out.. Let Sonny stew on her words for awhile and when he came around to her way of thinking and seeing that she was right, just maybe she wouldn't be do eager to make herself available. Let him sweat on _that_ for awhile.

"Let it go." She gritted to her companion. "Our little tête-à-tête over dessert was fine, but I didn't ask for whine with the meal. And that was on the top of the menu. So could you just continue to drive?" She reached forward and punched the radio buttons on the dash, trying to find a station she liked. But it seemed as though every station was playing stupid, sappy love songs. And she was definitely not in the mood for that. She slapped at the dashboard in a sudden fury.

"Very witty. Caroline. But the question remains to be answered. What were you thinking going to Sonny Corinthos at the police station? Were you going there to offer your ex-husband – comfort? And please – refrain yourself from taking out your obvious frustrations out on my automobile."

"Why did I ever tell you about it?" Carly snapped. "What do you know about me and Sonny?"

"One – you told me because you need someone to vent to," Mason said agreeably, not rising to her baiting tone. "Two – I only know what you tell me about you and your ex-husband. Ex being the operative word here."

"He has a name!" She tired of hearing the term ex-husband. It only brought back memories that made her angrier. That's how Sonny had treated her today; and she wasn't ready to be an ex-anything. To anybody. Sonny least of all!

"Corinthos, then. Forgive me, but he and I are not on first-name basis. In fact, the last time he and I spoke, I do believe it was when he was in the company of his lawyer." He added slyly. He watched out of the corner of his eye to see her reaction. It was immediate.

"Alexis! Do I have to hear her name as well!" Carly snarled the other woman's name. " The less I see of her, the better. The less I hear her name, even more better. So if you want to talk about her, then maybe you should go and see her."

"I came to see you, Carly. Doesn't that count for anything?"

"And why is that?"

"Why wouldn't I want to spend time with such a lovely woman as yourself. Besides, I have a surprise for you."

"A surprise." Carly sounded less than thrilled.

"Come on, you know that you love surprises. And this is one I promise you will not forget."

* * *

A little while later, and they were stepping onto Mason's yacht.

"Is this your newest toy?" Carly asked, still in a bit of a snit. Mason only laughed in reply and led her down into a stateroom that was definitely decorated with luxury and self-indulgence in mind. Plush carpets, rich fabrics adorned the room, and the furnishings were obviously the best that money could buy.

Mason took her by the hand and led her to a chaise lounge, upholstered in midnight blue velvety material, and piled high with pillows of different textures and matching colors. Carly sat, stretching her body like a cat, enjoying the feel of the fabrics against her skin. She leaned back as Mason busied himself around the room. He picked up a remote control and pressed a button and with a _whoosh_, the fireplace mounted on one wall sprang to life.

"Oooh..is this the point where I begin to be impressed?" Carly said.

Mason just laughed. "Perhaps not just yet." He stepped over to the bar and began fixing cocktails. "You still haven't answered my question."

Carly pouted. "About why I went down to see Sonny at the PCPD? Fine. I don't know why."

"I find that hard to believe, Carly. I've never known a woman who didn't know why she did anything that she chose to do."

"I find that hard to believe as well, Caroline." A new voice said.

Carly's head snapped around. Her eyes widened to see Helena enter the room. "Mason's assessment of you is quite correct. From what I've learned of your history, you hardly ever make a move without having a plan in place. Unless of course, you allow your impetuousness to cloud your judgment."

Helena continued to walk into the room. Mason moved to place a plush chair opposite Carly. And as Helena settled herself into it, he returned to the bar briefly, and picking up two glasses, silently handed her one.

She sipped at it. "Delightful." She said, smiling up at him. "You've learned how to serve me quite well."

Mason smiled back at her, then walked over to Carly. He handed her the second glass. "Drink up, Caroline. You look as though you could use it."

Her mind on auto-pilot and still in shock, Carly took the glass and drank from it. "I..I don't understand…" she breathed. She looked from Helena to Mason and back again. "You know Helena?"

"We're partners of a sort.." Mason walked back to the bar and fixed himself a drink. "Business partners."

"I did tell you I had plans for Alexis, and that you would be a part of them, did I not?" Helena told her. "I was going to contact you very soon to put my plans into motion, but your visit to your ex-husband was not a part of them. Whatever did you go there for? A reconciliation with this Corinthos would not set well with what I have in mind at all."

"What do you care about Sonny?" Carly asked. She struggled to sit up straight in the chaise, while at the same time, trying to get her thoughts straight. Prepared for an evening of sensual pleasures, seeing Helena here was been an unpleasant shock to her system. She was having trouble marshaling her thoughts in any coherent fashion.

"I don't care about him at all, except for the fact that Alexis cares about him. That makes him a possible tool to use against Alexis."

"It's just a momentary fling. Alexis is nothing to him but legal briefs and free attorney-client privileges." Carly said.

"Not so, sweet Carly." Mason said. "I have it, as it were, from the horse's mouth. Alexis made it quite clear to me that their relationship was quite serious at this point."

"She would." Carly said.

"Would you believe it if I could produce concrete proof?" Mason told her, eyes shining with amusement. "I have recordings of their private conversations, and I can tell you for a fact. The two of them are indeed, very much in love."

"At first, I was only interested in your Sonny Corinthos as a way to discredit one of her more lucrative clients, but with this new information, it puts a new spin on things. As you can imagine, the thought of Alexis getting a happily-ever-after doesn't sit well with me. May I assume you share that sentiment?"

"Sonny and Alexis and happily ever after? I don't see that happening." Carly said, still refusing to accept the facts Mason had laid before her.

Helena chuckled and shook her head. "What is the saying? Denial is a river in Egypt? My dear, you are floating on a yacht on that very same river." The amusement left her eyes. "But we're not in Egypt anymore, Dorothy."

If she were Dorothy, what did that make Helena? The Wicked Witch of the West? She longed to throw the words in her face, but a sense of self-preservation kept Carly's thoughts from reaching her lips.

"So who are we dropping the house on?" She asked with a show of bravado.

"Brava, Caroline. Well done." Helena laughed out loud. "Funny you should mention that, especially since I recently just did exactly that."

It came to Carly suddenly. "Stefan Cassadine? Your own son?"

"A poor excuse for one and a constant disappointment. And that makes it one down, one to go."

Carly almost dropped her glass. "I may not like Alexis. I may even hate her on occasion, but I've never wished her dead."

"Well, my dear, all that means is that you've set your sights too low." Helena replies. "Or you've never set your sights high enough." She shrugged her shoulders elegantly. "How unimaginative. Why tolerate a rival flaunting their victory in your face?

"She hasn't won!" Carly shot back. "She hasn't got anything to flaunt."

"Hasn't she my dear? Ordinarily, I would agree with you; I find it amusing that the little mouse has managed to inspire such devotion. But alas for you, somehow she has managed it. While you thought your secret assignation with my dear Mason was a fait accompli, your Mr. Corinthos, or should I say your most recent ex-husband – " Having planted the knife, Helena lost no chance to twist the it in a little deeper "He spent the night with her, and one for which she planned - and spared no expense.

"The night of the storm - do you remember it? Or did Mason manage to keep you- ah - otherwise occupied?" She lifted an eyebrow at Mason in amusement. Mason, in return, merely blew her a kiss.

"A gentleman never discusses one charming woman with another."

Helena laughed. "But my dear Mason, we both know that you are no gentleman. She turned back to Carly. "You should see the bill for the flowers alone - enough to fill a greenhouse. Tell me, my dear, is he truly worth it?"

Carly couldn't answer; too much was happening in too short of a space of time.

"Perhaps now you are sufficiently motivated to aid me in ridding Port Charles of your rival." Helena said.

"Alexis is not my rival" Carly insisted.

"Delude yourself if you like." Helena shrugged Carly's opinion away. "Let us refer to her as an obstacle then. And here's what I want you to do..."

When she had finished explaining, Carly sat in stunned silence.

Helena smiled.


	83. Unexpected Guests

CHAPTER EIGHTY THREE  
Unexpected Guests 

Alexis did not look forward to this return to Port Charles. It had been hard enough to go into Stefan's private sanctuary and begin to sort through his personal things. Neither she or Mrs. Landsbury accomplished much. Too much had gone on today; Alexis was feeling worn out and made the decision to put it off for another day.

Unfortunately, that was not the end of it. Alexis had returned to the study. She had thought about calling Sonny, just to hear the sound of his voice, when she received a very unwelcome phone call. Carly, of all people, wanted to see her. Immediately. Alexis would have refused, except that he brought up Michael's name.

Alexis could feel the trouble brewing. But this was something that she could nip in the bud. If Carly thought she was about to pull one of her inane stunts, she had another thing coming to her.

Carly was waiting for her when she disembarked. Alexis saw her look at Johnny with a mix between jealousy and hatred. She wasn't far off.

Carly seethed with anger. Once upon a time, Sonny had had bodyguards for her protection. But never Johnny. She knew how close he was to Sonny, and the sight of him here just fueled her anger. Any hesitation she might have had over what she was about to take part in vanished under a fresh wave of jealousy. Let the two of them kill each other and see if she cared!

She turned her gaze back to Alexis. "Do you think we could have a little bit of privacy? It's not like I'm planning on pushing you off the docks."

Johnny looked around. Night was falling and the fog as coming off the river. "I'd prefer it if the two of you wouldn't go for a walk." He gestured to the thickening wisps of fog.

"Fair enough." Alexis said. She turned to Carly "We can talk aboard the launch. It's private enough. Only the captain is aboard and he's up on the bridge."

Carly agreed and they went aboard the launch. Carly waited until they had walked to a spot by the railing where they were alone. She didn't waste any time getting to the point. "I know Sonny was hauled into the PCPD today. And they are talking abut charging him with Stefan's murder."

"As usual, you have your facts wrong, but why is it you felt the need to share this with me?"

"Because I have a deal in mind, so listen up. I'm thinking that with all the negative publicity that a trial might – will - bring, well, maybe joint custody of Michael isn't such a great idea after all."

"You've already agreed to this in your very generous divorce settlement, Carly, so what's your real goal here? We both know that Sonny had nothing to do with what happened to my brother."

"Don't be so sure that he's not involved." Carly said. "You don't know Sonny as well as you think you do."

"And I doubt you ever really knew him at all." Alexis replied evenly. "Is this what you brought me out here for? I do have other matters that concern me."

"Look, we both know that one of the roles you play for Sonny is his attorney. I just thought I'd give you a heads-up, is all. Of course, if you were to remove yourself as Sonny's attorney - as well as any and all associations, that might be enough to persuade me to change my mind."

"How long have you been thinking about this?" With everything that Sonny was going through, this is one more headache that neither one of them needed. Maybe she could mollify Carly and get her to see how ridiculous and ill-timed this would be.

"Actually, I've been thinking about this for awhile. It's not good for Michael to be continually going back and forth between Sonny and I. It's all about me moving on with my own life - isn't that what you and Sonny both want?"

"Not at the expense of your son. Neither of you want that." Alexis refused to rise to Carly's baiting. "First and foremost, it's what is best for Michael that we should all be concerned about. If, as you say, Sonny is about to be come under investigation, I should think that it's important more than ever that Michael's routine continue. Do you think that the news of it could be kept from your son indefinitely? He will need his every-day life with Sonny more than ever."

"How would you know anything about what a child needs? You've never had one and probably never will."

And Carly thought she knew what was best for a child? The only thing she had in common with one was her penchant for acting like a spoiled selfish brat. "Right now, Sonny doesn't need the distraction. So if you pursue this, I promise you that you will be the one who will be sorry."

"You think Sonny will fight me?" Carly said with a laugh. "You really don't know him. He won't do anything that will hurt Michael."

"But that won't stop you, right? That's why it's not Sonny you need to worry about. It's me."

Carly laughed. 'Yeah, right, Alexis. Get real."

"All right, let's get real, Carly. First of all, Sonny isn't under investigation for Stefan's death. Yes, he went downtown to answer some preliminary questions, but there are no plans for any charges to be brought against him.

"Secondly, how do you like this for real: I had a visit from an investigator today. He spent some time in a little township called Whiteville. Ring any bells?"

"N..No..." Carly's bravado slipped a little but she tried to bluff her way through. "Should it? What's it to you?"

"It should mean something to you, since you were seen there during the time you were supposedly 'lost'." Alexis told her with no little amount of satisfaction.. "And don't bother trying the convenient amnesia routine on me, okay? My investigator even provided me with sworn affidavits of people describing your little visits into town. And there's even a convenience store tape. And guess who's the star in it?"

Carly was stunned into silence and Alexis took advantage of it. "I'm offering you a deal..so this time, you listen up, as you put it. Everything has happened and is already in the past, and I'm willing to leave it that way."

"And what do you get out of it?" Carly said.

"Not as much as you think. I'm thinking of everyone else. Your mother, for one. How would she feel to know that you deliberately put her through days of the agony of thinking her only remaining daughter had died. Or Sonny..."

"Oh yes, and Sonny - here we go!" Carly shrilled angrily. "It's all about you wanting Sonny and keeping him away from me."

"Carly, can you imagine what his reaction would be if he found out that you set him up again? Wasn't the FBI betrayal enough? For the sake of your son, if nothing else, do you want Sonny to be able to look at you with anything besides hate? And what if Michael should find out - you chose torturing Sonny - the man he loves as a father - over your love for son?"

"So what do you want?"

"I want things to go on just as things are. Let it be, Carly. Live and let live; I'm willing to do the same."

Carly glanced at her watch. "I'll think about it." she said abruptly, surprising Alexis. She made a face at the surprised expression that flashed across Alexis' face. "I love my son, Alexis. Whatever I do, I do for him."

Something in her voice caused Alexis to look at her sharply.

"You won't always have the upper hand, Alexis. Remember that." Carly said, just before she turned and walked away.

Alexis let out a deep breath. She hadn't expected a pleasant conversation, but it hadn't been as bad as she had thought it could be. Just maybe, Carly would react to reason. Alexis laughed to herself. "And if that's true, I've got a bridge to sell her, too.". At least she had shut down Carly's latest threat. That brought a smile of satisfaction to her face.

* * *

Carly walked quickly to her own car. She wasn't particularly happy about what she'd done. But Helena had known what buttons to push to bend her to her will.

_Helena had produced a videotape and Carly had been stunned to see Michael at Wyndemere. "What is he doing there?"_

_"He was on a little adventure. A secret one with his mother's newest friend." Helena told her. She looked to Mason, who laughed softly and took a small bow in recognition. Helena smiled calculatingly. "The better question might be when had your son been my guest?. And if he will he be my guest again."_

Carly shivered and hurried home to her son.

* * *

Alexis waited until she was sure that Carly was gone, then headed for the gangplank. As she stepped onto the dock, she looked around, realizing she was alone. Where was Johnny? Had he gone to the car to wait for her? The fog had thickened, blanketing out her immediate surroundings and an eerie silence seemed to float up and encircle her. She shivered involuntarily, then laughed at herself. It was nothing more than the damp and her own over active imagination. She must be more tired than she'd thought.

She saw a familiar figure approaching her through the fog and laughed at herself for the tiny frisson of fear that had went through her

"Johnny?" she called out, willing herself to keep the relief out of her voice. "What do you say we stop by the Grille and bring home a cheesecake?"

He didn't answer.

"Johnny?" That shiver of apprehension returned even stronger this time.

"Good evening, _principessa._"


	84. Dark Waters & Amaretto Dreams

**CHAPTER EIGHTY FOUR**  
_Dark Waters and Amaretto Dreams_

Sonny arrived back at the Harborview Towers, feeling mentally if not so much physically exhausted. Not that he'd admit it to anyone, or show it, but alone, in the back of his limo, Sonny found himself feeling so tired, he'd even dozed off a time or two on the way back to the penthouse. Nodding to Max who was on the door, he went inside.

Without having to call her name to confirm it, Sonny felt Alexis' absence. A momentary disappointment washed over him, but it disappeared quickly as his eyes were caught by something on his desk that hadn't been there when he left.

"Max!" he called out. The door opened immediately. "Was anybody here while either me or Ms. Davis were gone?"

Max gestured to the gift bag. "Yeah, that came from Ms. Davis while you were out. A messenger dropped it off, with her apologies. There's a note." he told him.

Sonny raised one eyebrow at him.

"Not that I read it." Max rushed to explain. "The messenger made a point of telling me, is all. It's inside the package. "

Sonny nodded a dismissal, then as the door closed behind Max, he picked up the gold and sienna colored gift bag, walked to the couch, sat down and examined its contents. He pulled out an open-faced box and inside was a small faceted bottle of liquor with two matching crystal stemmed glasses. And a note. Sonny sat the box down and opened it. He smiled as Alexis' perfume drifted up from it.

_Dearest Sonny,  
It seems things are more complicated at Windermere than I thought. I'm neck-deep in paper work and records and will be that way for awhile. My apologies, but I need to devote my total concentration to my Cassadine inheritance for the next few hours - I will call you as soon as I am able. In the meanwhile, please pour yourself a glass of amaretto and think of me as you drink I as I will be thinking of you. Warm, sweet and inviting and oh so sweet on my lips. _

_Forgive me my love, _

_Alexis._

Sonny smiled again and uncorked the bottle. He poured himself a glass, and sat back, bringing it up so that he could inhale its fragrance. Warm, sweet, inviting. All the things Alexis was to him. Sonny sipped at the amber liquid and imagined he could taste her as the flavorful drink passed over his lips and down his throat. Its warmth coursed through his veins. He smiled to himself. This amaretto was deceptively powerful and intoxicating. Just like Alexis' kisses.

He laughed to himself softly, stifling a yawn at the end of it. Sonny sat back, relaxing deeper into the cushions. He'd wait for Alexis right here in the living room. And when she got home, they'd share the amaretto... and the kisses...

Sonny closed his eyes.

* * *

Alexis sat in a room in Windermere, unable to do anything but sit stiffly against the soft cushions, still numb with shock. Everything had taken on the aspect of a very bad dream. Seeing Mason step out of the fog, she remembered being startled at the glittering, almost surreal look in his eyes. He stepped forward and gripped her arm. Before she could find her voice, he had turned her back towards the boat.

"Mason?" His silence unnerved her more than any threat would do; in response, her heart began to pound in her chest. Alexis twisted away from him and took a step backwards. Mason didn't move, but stood there and simply smiled at her.

That smile sent a thrill of fear through her veins, and not just for herself. "Johnny!" she called out desperately.

Mason's only response was another cool smile as the sounds of a scuffle and then a muffled groan came eerily through the fog; Alexis took a second step away from Mason just in time to see Johnny appear. A soft cry of despair escaped her.

Johnny was barely conscious, being dragged along in the arms of two hulking thugs. He'd obviously put up a fight because his captors showed more than a few signs of bruises and battering. A third man materialized, this one holding a gun.

Mason shook his head in false commiseration, then held out his hand to her. "Let's have no more ugliness, shall we, Alexis?" When she didn't move, he came forward and took her arm again and steered her onboard.

"Mason, I don't understand." Alexis said, her mind spinning in confusion. Why was he doing this? What did he want? She was forced to watch helplessly as Johnny was roughly hustled aboard and taken below.

He saw the question in her eyes and shrugged in response. "All will be made clear to you in time. In the meanwhile, shall we enjoy the trip?" Mason nodded towards the stairs leading below decks. "His continued well-being depends entirely on your continued good behavior, you know." he said matter-of-factly.

"Mason, what are you doing?" Alexis asked. She was beginning to be afraid of having fallen into the hand of a madman. What could Mason have possibly be thinking to take such an action? "Why?"

"I'm following the desires of my heart." He told her, a twisted smile curling his mouth. "You and I, alone in the fog. Tell me you don't find it the least bit romantic? No? I'm crushed."

His sarcasm wasn't lost on her but looking in his face, Alexis knew that it would be useless to ask again. And she refused to give him the satisfaction of seeing her fear. Alexis turned away from him, her eyes staring out over the dark waters rushing by but not really seeing them at all. Her mind raced trying to come up with her own answers, but failed to come up with anything that made sense at all.

Once she'd been brought to this place and left alone, some of the numbness began to slowly wear off. Her eyes roamed over the room. It was one of the lesser used chambers of Windermere; Alexis couldn't remember the last time she herself had been in it. It was sparsely furnished with a leather love seat that she had been shown to, a small desk, and the walls were lined with books. One entrance, one exit. Two windows, but they were next to useless, Alexis guessed. They were on the lee side of the island, away from Port Charles. Not that signaling anyone was an option.

Alexis realized that her mind was trying its best to rationalize her thoughts, to try and create order and sense where there was none. She stood, paced to the window and then to the desk. It was locked; Alexis jerked at its handle in helpless anger. No chance of finding a letter opener, or anything that could be used as a weapon at all. And even if she could find something, what good would it do?

Examine the facts, her mind told her. Mason was keeping her in Windermere. How long could she reasonably expect it to be before someone wondered where she was? How long did Mason plan on keeping her here? He had to know that sooner or later, someone would either call or come looking for her.

Her head jerked around as she heard a noise; it quickly resolved itself into footsteps coming her way. Alexis moved back to the sofa and sat down, schooling her expression into a calmness she was not feeling.

When the door opened, Mason stood in the doorway and beckoned to her. Alexis didn't know whether to be relieved or even more frightened. She went with him, the guard trailing behind them, without a protest. As if what she had experienced wasn't already enough, Alexis felt a second shock shoot through her as she was led into the guest quarters in the east wing.

Looking very much at home, Helena sat, looking very relaxed in peach colored silk lounging pajamas. Very relaxed and very pleased with herself. She stretched like a cat, then stood up and approached Alexis, studying her carefully.

Alexis held herself stiffly, willing herself to show no emotion. She knew that it was important, could literally be a matter of life or death that she show no sign of weakness or fear to Helena. That would be like an aphrodisiac to her; it might even provoke her to unthinking vengeful action.

After a very careful perusal, Helena smiled to herself. "I did want to bid you a good night before I retired." She told Alexis, her eyes gleaming in satisfaction. "And to assure you that you are to be made as comfortable as possible – just for the moment, of course. Tomorrow, you understand, is another day. Tell me, are you hungry? Thirsty? Is there anything at all that either Mason or I can get for you?"

Alexis was proud enough to see that she hadn't lost her voice and that she spoke as clear and cool as she ever did. "For me - my freedom? And for you – perhaps a short trip off of a long pier?"

Helena chuckled. "How wonderful. You haven't lost that keen sense of humor. Good. I've no doubt that you'll need it. Of course, I must decline your requests. But if there's nothing else then, I'll have something nourishing sent to you. It's late and I'm sure that after the hard day you've had, you must be famished. Never let it be said that I am a neglectful hostess. But for now, I bid you good night."

That was an undeniable dismissal. A part of Alexis would have loved to throw herself at Helena, to rip her hair out of her skull, slap that smug expression right off of her face and possibly choke the life from her. If she had ever doubted that Helena had had a hand in Stefan's death, she had them no longer. Her appearance here and now made that knowledge painfully clear.

Instead, Alexis let Mason guide her through the halls away from where she had first been held, up into one of the towers of Windermere, to a second, smaller bedroom suite. While the guard took up a position outside the door, Mason insisted on escorting her inside.

True to Helena's words, a few minutes later, a knock came on the door and a maid that Alexis didn't recognize wheeled in a serving tray laden with food and drink.

Mason poured himself a cup of coffee. He made a gesture as though to pour Alexis a cup as well.

She refused his offer. "The only thing I want from you are some answers." Alexis said. "Like how did you get involved in one of Helena's schemes to begin with? And how could you let yourself become involved in my brother's death! You pretended to be my friend."

"I was interested in you. That was a part of my assignment, true enough. But surely you're woman enough to know that my interest was not fake. We could have had such a lovely interlude, Alexis – if only you would have allowed it."

"And then you would have turned me over to Helena without a second thought. I'm glad I passed."

Mason shrugged. "Business is business. But think of the memories we could have shared." He said with a laugh. "As for your brother's death - did I say I was involved in that?  
"And as for the rest, let's leave that for Helena to explain. I will tell you this much. My involvement is purely business – monetary. All above board."

"And if murder happens, is it just collateral damage? The cost of doing business?"

"Alexis, why burden yourself with such wearisome thoughts? Nothing is going to be resolved to your satisfaction tonight. I suggest we stop the pointless bickering and if you're not going to eat anything, get some sleep?" Mason sat down with his coffee and gestured towards the door of her bedroom with his free hand.

He laughed at the wary expression that crossed her face. "Alone, Alexis. I've never had to force my attentions on any woman, and I don't propose that I start now." He waved his hand again towards her bedroom while making no motion to rise. "Go on and get a good night sleep…."

His last words chilled her, though she refused to show it.

"…While you can."


	85. Trust, Tears & Lies

**CHAPTER EIGHTY FIVE  
**_Trust, Tears and Lies_

Even in the false security of her office, she could hear the wind howling outside. The storm had been building since long before dawn. Carly knew that because she had been awake to see it thunder into town. The day had snarled into being, finding Carly lying awake and wide-eyed as the sky turned from dark to storm-roiled grey.

She paced the length of her desk and back again. Her eyes kept falling on the phone perched on her desk. She'd spent a mostly sleepless night and a harried morning. She could have used the storm as an excuse to stay home, but after a little while, she'd known she'd find no peace there. So why not come into the office. She'd hoped to find some sort of escape here, maybe lose herself in work. Anything to stop the fears that kept hammering at her.

Coming to the office hadn't solved anything. She was so tired, so very bone tired, that she could hardly concentrate on anything, but not exhausted enough to close her eyes and get any rest. So she'd gone through a pot and a half of coffee. She'd thought that being around other people would banish the silent fears in her, but every attempt to get some work done, was interrupted by the same thoughts that circled her like a plague of vultures, picking at the carcass left of her calm and forcing memories on her that she'd rather not face..

Her eyes fell on a bright red remote control toy car in the corner. It was one of Michael's favorites; he'd left it here the last time she'd stopped by the office. Just this morning, he'd asked about it and just this morning, at breakfast with him and her mother, she'd promised to bring it home. Carly moved to pick it up and held it tightly in her hands, hoping to feel some small bit of comfort from it.

She sat it down on her desk, then poured herself one more cup and gulped it down, hoping against hope that it would help first, to wake her up, second, steady her so that – thirdly, she could get a grip on herself. Carly was exhausted; all through the night hours, she hadn't been able to close her eyes for more than five minutes at a time. Every time she'd come close to falling asleep, she'd hear Helena's voice, promising her nightmares that had flickered at the edges of her dreams. More than once, she'd jumped out of bed and made her way to her son's room, just to stand in the doorway and reassure herself that he was sleeping. And safe.

_I don't owe anyone anything, _she tried telling herself for the umpteenth time. _Alexis least of all!_

In spite of that sentiment, she threw herself into her chair and jerked open a desk drawer. Carly pulled out a phone book, looked up a number and then dialed it. Alexis' secretary answered and one quick question told her what she'd feared. Alexis wasn't in. A few seconds after she'd hung up, Carly was on her feet again.

_So Alexis hadn't come into her office this morning. What business was that of hers? Whatever was going on wasn't her fault. It was Alexis' fault for having a crazy old woman as the wicked stepmother to begin with._

And it wasn't as though Helena had left her any choice.

_:Flashback:_

"_What do you need me to do your dirty work for?" Carly had told Helena, after she'd outlined her plan. "After all, I thought you hated Spencers. So why deal with me at all?"_

"_I use what tools that are at hand." Helena told her. She lifted an eyebrow. "And my dear, you hardly rate as a Spencer; Luke barely registers your presence. But your asset to me is that Alexis is a rival in your romantic equation. We can be of mutual benefit for one another. I would have thought that the satisfaction of removing your rival would appeal to you somehow. Your uncle Luke would certainly understand the motivation- and relish it. Such a zest for life he has…" Her eyes misted over slightly with what were no doubt fond memories – crazy woman – these two had tried to kill each other for years, if the stories wee to be believed, and here she was, smiling about it? _

"_Luke Spencer." The way she said his name was like a caress on her lips. "Despite his lowly antecedents, he has always proved to be a worthy adversary. If you claim to be a Spencer, then don't disappoint me."_

"_We wouldn't want that, would we?" Carly snapped. The reference to Luke's ignoring her was an insult that jabbed deep and made her forget her earlier caution._

"_No we wouldn't." Helena answered her. "Let me tell you a little story about how I dealt with a would-be rival. Alexis' mother in fact. Along with having the extreme bad taste to have been chosen by my husband for a misalliance; she had pretensions of being an opera singer. And of loving my husband on top of that. Once I realized that he fancied himself in love with her, by giving her children, an object lesson had to be made. I stilled that pretty little voice – by slitting her throat."_

"_You had Alexis' mother killed?" Carly's eyes opened wide._

"_Not precisely." Helena lifted one hand languorously, seemingly examining her manicure. "She died because I wished it, yes, but I didn't have her killed, I did it myself." _

_She turned a coldly amused yet icy-blue gaze onto Carly and she found herself unable to tear her eyes away. " You see, it's always best to take care of personal matters - personally. I imagine that your Mr. Corinthos is much the same kind of man as my late husband was – dynamic, powerful, a man born to rule others. Such inner power is an aphrodisiac, as I'm sure you know. Well, men like that draw women to them as moths to a flame, and I understand that he has had his fair share. But he married you. Nothing should be allowed to interfere with that."_

"_Does Alexis know that you murdered her mother?" From the expression that never changed on Helena's face, she knew the answer even as she asked it. Carly watched in silent, shocked, stunned fascination as Helena's only response was a careless shrug. _

"_I found out later that she witnessed it. Not that it was planned, but it worked out for the best. It might have been a bit traumatic for a young girl to witness such a sight a such an impressionable age, but then again, it's never too early to learn one of life's little lessons, don't you agree? It taught little Natasha her place in life.  
"The world can be such a cold place for children. You should be able to understand that. After all, you have a son – an heir - to protect – as did I." Helena stopped examining her fingers and looked directly at Carly. "Won't you do whatever you must to protect little Michael?"_

_:end Flashback:_

Carly's heart thumped painfully in her chest as she remembered the look in Helena's eyes as she had mentioned Michael's name. The unspoken threat had hung in the air between them.

"It's not like I had a choice." She muttered aloud. "That crazy old bat is capable of anything." But she had to come up with a plan that would keep her safe. Her and Michael.

The shrill sound of the desk phone jerked Carly from her thoughts.

"Mrs. Corinthos?"

She didn't recognize the voice and with memories of Helena Cassadine still echoing in her mind, that fact scared her so badly that it took a moment for her to find her voice.. "Wh…Who? What?" she finally managed to stammer

"The name is Cohen; I'm with the District Attorney's office."

Carly froze. Her mind spun and scattered in a thousand different directions all at once. The D.A. office? What did they want with her? Was this news about Alexis? It couldn't be. But what if someone had seen her with Alexis last night? What if someone had fingered her as the last person she'd been seen with? Sudden fear weakened her limbs and she sank down into her seat. Her heart beat so loudly that she could barely hear herself think…"Yes.." she heard herself say. "What can I do for you?"

"It's about your husband. I'm trying to track his whereabouts for the last few days."

"And what does this have to do with me?" Relief made her light-headed.

"I'm sure you're aware of your husband's lawyer, a Ms. Alexis Davis, and her current..ahhh…issues?"

Carly's hand trembled. What did he know? Was this a trick? Did he want to trick some sort of confession out her? Her mind began to frantically race again. "I don't know anything about her!" she blurted out. "I don't keep tabs on her, where she goes, who she sees – it's none of my business!"

"I didn't think that you did, Mrs. Corinthos. It's not what you know, but what your husband knows, that interests me. It may not be your business, as you've said, but it might be your husband's. Oh, pardon me, your ex-husband's."

"Why would her business be any of his? What do you think he knows about her?"

"That is the question of the day, isn't it? What your Mr. Corinthos knows about Ms. Davis, I mean. I was wondering if you could tell me anything about that. Just how close they are?"

Carly's throat went dry. She felt close to collapsing in hysterics. If not for Sonny and Alexis ever growing closeness, none of this would be happening!

"Is she a threat?" he persisted.

_From day one! _Carly thought furiously. This was _all _Alexis' fault. If only she had never stepped foot in Port Charles! Helena would have never come here and best of all – she and Sonny would still be together! She felt the betrayal and blinding rage that had exploded within her the night she'd found them in bed together all over again and thru her angry haze, barely heard the ADA's words. They slowly seeped into her consciousness.

"… would she be privy to any of his secrets? Anything that might make her a danger to him?"

"They're close," Carly snapped. All she could think about was the white hot anger and sense of betrayal she'd felt as she'd watch the two of them grow closer. The helplessness she'd felt as she was forced to stand by and watch Sonny give Alexis the respect and an ever-growing sense of loyalty and honor that should have been hers alone. That they had ended up in bed together had been more of a shock to the two of them then it had ever been for her! What fools they had been not to see it coming – and what a fool the two of them had made of her in the process. All those claims of being just business associates, and then oh, they were just friends, and oh—Carly, you just don't understand.

She felt the sharp, deep bite of jealousy all over again and it spurred her tongue. "They've spent plenty of long nights all alone working together and have even taken a trip or two or three on his private jet. I'd guess that she knows all sorts of things. Things that I wasn't privy too, that's for sure."

"So presumably, Ms. Davis' knowledge could be construed as a threat to Mr. Corinthos' affairs. That's exactly what I wanted to know." Cohen replied. The satisfaction barely hidden in his voice brought Carly back to realize what she'd just said.

"W-wait.." she stuttered. "It's not that she was…it isn't… wasn't like that…"

"Thank you so much, Mrs. Corinthos." He said, smoothly cutting into her stammering speech. "You do realize, that as his ex-wife, you are not bound by the husband- wife testifying statute? So I'm sure if we need any more information, that we can count on you, as a law abiding citizen, to help the district attorney's department any way that you can."

Before Carly could explain herself further, to try and take back or fix anything she'd said, he'd hung up in her ear.

Wonderful! If she didn't have _enough_ on her plate! Wound up with emotion, Carly flung herself from her chair and began pacing the room again, feeling more trapped than ever. What had she done? What was she going to do? She argued with herself. She'd done what she had to do… she had to protect her son. Anyone could see that. But now by accident, she'd probably set the D.A. sights on Sonny for Alexis' disappearance. If they didn't know she was missing, then they would soon. And in light of what Cohen had tricked her into saying, it didn't take a genius to figure out that he would be blaming Sonny for it. And if Sonny got wind of that, he would be sure to know that any information about him and Alexis Cohen got had come straight from her own mouth. And he would come straight after her.

Carly shivered at the thought. Helena on one side, Sonny on the other. What was she going to do?

Caught up in her fears, she didn't hear the light tap on the door, so she nearly jumped out of her skin when Jax entered.

"Whoa – Carly!" Jax said. He walked over to her, putting out his hands and took ahold of her shoulders. "What's on your mind that's got you so rattled?"

Carly turned to look up at him, seeing nothing but concern in is bright blue gaze. A passing thought crossed her mind. Jax was rich, powerful and smart. Maybe he could protect her. Maybe he could – but would he? He and Alexis were close… they'd even been married to each other and had managed to stay friends after it had ended. If she tried to tell him what she'd gotten herself into, more than likely, he'd turn on her and throw her to the wolves.

"Carly?" Jax looked at her again. What was wrong with her? She looked worried, but he didn't know about what. Carly's impetuousness could be counted on to get her into as much trouble as her heart did. The question was, which was it? In spite of himself, his eternal white knight rose to the fore and gentled his voice. "What have you done now?"

Carly bit her lip, her thoughts still worried. Jax sounded so – concerned. Like he really truly cared. But could she trust him to help her?

She wanted to, but old suspicions, old habits, old fears died hard. And who had she ever really been able to trust? Tony, AJ, Sonny? In the end, they'd all turned on her. Their forgiveness had only gone so far. And now, here was Jax.

Carly couldn't help but remember Sonny's opinion on Jax. But standing face to face with him, looking into his deep blue eyes, Carly couldn't find it in herself to count on that. She saw the care and concern in his gaze and knew it to be true. He knew something was on her mind. But what would he do if she told him about endangering his precious Alexis?

Carly looked away from him. He'd turn on her like everyone else…she couldn't, she didn't dare confide in him. Her heart fell.

"Carly… Carly?" She hadn't realized he'd been calling her name. Carly blinked and looked up at him again. "Carly, you can talk to me about anything, you know. We're not just business partners. I mean, we don't have to be. If you need someone to talk to, I'm here."

"Don't be so quick to offer your shoulder to lean on." Carly said. She reached out and tentatively touched his shoulder. "They don't call me Hurricane Carly for nothing. I wreck everything I touch."

Jax perched himself on the edge of the desk. "You've been told that so many times, I'll bet you believe it to be true."

"Haven't you been paying attention? Or haven't you noticed the wreckage I tend to leave behind." She couldn't take the look in his eyes and turned away. "It's no joke. I make bad choices, Jax. No matter how good my intentions may start off being, they don't seem to turn out that way. And you're just asking for more of the same if you want to get involved with me."

"We're already involved." Jax answered her. "Our business arrangement has been a success, and we're even talking about expanding. It's why I came by to see you, with the letters of agreement for us to sign for Chicago. So see, not everything you touch turns to ashes."

Carly laughed, but it came out sharp and brittle, and not a happy sound. "There's always an exception to the rule. You don't get it, Jax. Sooner or later, I always say or do something stupid; it's like I don't think.. I get caught up in the moment and I can't see what can happen, and then things snowball out of control and.. and…I never mean to…" To Jax's surprise, and her own horror, her voice choked off as a sob caught itself in her throat.

"Carly.." Without thinking, Jax reached out and took her by the hands. "What's going on?"

She shook her head, unable to speak. Even if she could, what would she say?

"You can trust me, Carly. I'm not going anywhere. If you're in trouble, I can help you. Let me."

Carly's lips parted, but she hesitated. She didn't know what to say. Her own basic instinct cried out against trusting him. But the other part of her was frightened at what she'd gotten herself into without even knowing it until it was too late.

Jax smiled at her encouragingly. Carly's resolve weakened for a moment, but then her fear got the best of her and stopped the confession hovering on her lips.

A knock came at the door, and a second later, Mason stepped in. He raised an eyebrow at the scene before him. "Am I interrupting?" Without waiting for either of them to answer, he stepped inside and closed the door behind him. "I would apologize and leave, but I thought you'd both like to know that one of your waiters spotted Sonny Corinthos getting out of a car a few steps up the street. I told them that I would tell you, Carly. Is there a chance that he might be headed this way?"  
Mason paused and looked very carefully at Carly. "Were you expecting him?"

Jax turned back to Carly and was startled by what he saw. Her face had gone pale at Mason's words. Her eyes, when they swung back from Mason to Jax were wide and he could see the fear in them.

"I..I don't want to talk to him." Her throat was so tight, all she could manage was a whisper.

"And you won't have to." Jax reassured her. He stood up and looked at Mason, his bright blue eyes suddenly gone hard. "Keep her company, Mason." He told the other man. "I'll take care of this."

Carly looked from Mason and back at him, unable to speak. Unexpectedly, he leaned forward and brushed his lips across Carly's forehead. "You don't have anything to worry about, Carly. I promise. We'll talk later." Jax said. "You can trust me." He smiled at her again before walking out the door.

* * *

His smile disappeared the moment the door closed behind him. Jax's temper rose higher with every step as he walked down the short hallway leading to the club. His hands tightened into fists as he remembered how cold Carly's fingers had been in his. He'd never known how terrified Carly could be of Sonny. No woman should be so afraid of a man, and worse still, of a man she knew, a man she'd been intimate with. And knowing Sonny, he probably didn't care, so long as Carly did what he wanted. He didn't know what Sonny wanted from his ex-wife this time, but if Sonny thought he was going to come in here, into their place of business and frighten her some more, then Sonny had another thing coming to him.

Mason had been right. Just as Jax stepped into the club precincts, Sonny was coming down the stairs. Jax crossed to the room to meet him before he could get more than a few steps into the room.

"What are you doing here, Corinthos?" Before he could answer, Jax continued. "It doesn't matter either way. Carly doesn't want to see you. And so she's not going to."

"Fine. I came to talk to you, not Carly."

The angry challenge springing up between the two men was so obvious that the few waiters and cleaning staff that were present made every attempt to find business that removed them from the immediate vicinity as soon and as far away as possible. Meanwhile the two men squared off facing each other.

Sonny glared at Jax. He didn't come here to fight. Why was it that Candyboy was always trying to get all up in his face? This was not the day for it; he'd woken up feeling unwell as well as uneasy and the feeling had persisted all through the morning. It had left him with a throbbing headache and a band of tension across his forehead that did nothing to ease his temper. If Jax didn't watch his step – and his mouth – he was liable to get more than he bargained for. The wrong word, and Sonny would be more than happy to give it to him. With interest.

But then he remembered why he'd come here. Sonny gritted his teeth, shelved his own temper and shut his mouth.

"Me?" Jax stared at Sonny. "What do you want to talk to me about, Corinthos?" To his total surprise, he saw Sonny's expression change. He actually hesitated before he spoke.

"It's about Alexis. This Cassadine thing."

"You mean Stefan's death?"

"No. This isn't about Stefan Cassadine's death. I know how much her brother's death affected her. I held her in my arms while she cried for him. All night." Sonny told him; the look in his eye telling Jax that he was deliberately reminding him just how close he and Alexis were. But then he blinked and that attitude was gone from his gaze. "But I get the feeling that things are bigger than even that. And I figure you know more about that than me. Maybe."

"So?"

"So, I'm asking. How big is this? How much danger is there for Alexis getting involved in all of this stuff with her nephew?"

"This? Alexis has been involved with _this_ - her entire life. She was a Cassadine before Nikolas was ever born. Her loyalty to her family is something that has always and will always be there."

"I know that." Sonny snapped. "I know all about Alexis' loyalty. I know about the Cassadines, too. I was there when Alexis was kidnapped by the evil step-mother, remember?"

"No you weren't. You were there for the aftermath."

"Yeah, and so were you."

Jax looked away for a moment while both of them fell silent as the memory of Sonny's showing up at Ned's house after she'd been rescued from Helena's last plan to whisk Alexis away from under their noses sprang up between them. Jax was remembering how no one in the room had existed for Sonny once he'd seen her. Neither his anger, or Ned's, hadn't mattered one bit to Sonny.

At the time, Jax had thought it had been Corinthos' usual high-handedness and arrogance. But now he was forced to admit, it hadn't been about Sonny at all. Or rather, it had been about Sonny's need to see with his own eyes, that Alexis was alive and well. And what he had seen in her, what he had seen that no one else had, had been enough to take her out of there.

Alexis had told him later how Sonny had encouraged her to smash things in her apartment as a way to release her fears. And how she had finally managed to open up and share her hatred and fear of Helena with him. Her voice had been full of wonder as she had told Jax how Sonny had taken her in his arms. Unwillingly, Jax recalled how Sonny and Alexis had looked at one another that night and how she had gone with him without a word of protest. Had this thing between them begun, even then? How was it that no one had seen it, not even him?

Sonny was remembering that night too, when he had brought her home, where she had finally been able to take off the mask of being brave and pretending that she was all right, when she wasn't. He remembered how she had smashed crystal and pottery as she vented her anger and had finally sobbed out her fears, ending up in his arms. A rembrance of that same feeling of Alexis needing him prickled along his spine and he couldn't shake it.

When Jax turned his gaze back to Sonny, the other man spread his hand in a conciliatory gesture that surprised him. Sonny exhaled loudly. Obviously, he was having as much trouble being civil in speaking to Jax as Jax was having listening to him.

"Look Jax, I get that it's important. And you know Alexis. She's got to do things on her own. And I don't want to intrude on that. It's just… look, she didn't come home last night, I got a note from her saying she was caught up in this business and that was fine, but I woke up feeling weird this morning…and I guess I'm looking for answers that I don't have. I don't even know if I'm asking the right questions."

As a matter of fact, if Sonny cared to admit it, he still didn't feel right. His mind felt sluggish, as though he wasn't quite awake. Sonny shook his head as though to clear it, but all that did was make his head pound, making him feel worse; the room swam dangerously before his eyes. Before he could think about it, he reached for his head, and pressed at his brow, as though to push away the pain and queasiness. He didn't have time to be sick just now. And he wasn't going to be sick in front of Jax. A small groan escaped his lips anyway.

Jax looked closer at Sonny. He had paled and a cold sweat had broken out on his forehead. "You all right?"

"I'm fine." Sonny answered shortly. He hated Jax seeing this momentary weakness.

"Yeah, right." Jax jerked a chair away from the table closest to them. "Sit down. Before you fall down." When Sonny hesitated. Jax swore quietly and pulled back another chair, and sat down himself. "_Now_ will you sit?"

Sonny gave in and took the seat opposite him.

"You were saying something about feeling weird this morning?" Jax prodded him.

"Like maybe something was going on that I should know about."

Jax had to acknowledge that the concern in Sonny's eyes as he stared into his was genuine. He didn't want to admit it, but it made Jax relent, just an inch.

"Alexis is devoted to her family; I don't need to tell you that."

"No, you don't." Sonny's voice was shaded with deliberate meaning. Despite their shared concern, years of unspoken rivalry was not about to die overnight. "I want to give Alexis all the space she needs. But I'm worried about her and this situation she's in. I tried calling, but this storm…" he waved a hand even as the sound of the wind and rain ebbed and flowed outside. "… I didn't get through. At the same time, I don't want to push…" Sonny couldn't remember the last time he'd felt this helpless.

"You haven't heard from her." Jax said, almost to himself. "And I suppose you want to know if I have?"

He looked across the table, directly into Sonny's eyes. And for what he saw there, for Alexis' sake, he dismissed their long-standing enmity and gave in to his better nature. "I haven't heard from her, Sonny. I will tell you this much; the Cassadine situation is one that could turn dangerous – lethally dangerous - before we know it."

An errant thought crossed his mind. _Was he, Jasper Jax, really sitting down and having a conversation with Sonny Corinthos – a conversation that included the word "WE"? Alexis, honey, this would tickle you pink. If I can get myself to tell you about it, that is._

Jax regrouped. "I'll check into the situation on my own. But in the meanwhile, if she does call me, before she talks to you, I will tell her that you're – concerned - and that she should call you as soon as possible. How's that?"

Sonny looked at him for a long silent moment. "Somehow, every now and them you manage to surprise me, Jax."

"Yeah. Sometimes I manage to amaze myself."


	86. Sweet Lies, No Lullabies

**CHAPTER EIGHT-SIX**  
_Sweet Lies, no Lullabies_

"I'll repeat the question, Carly. Were you expecting Sonny? Did you call him here to meet you?"

Carly had retreated to her seat behind the desk, as though it offered her protection from the man standing opposite her. She looked up at him and shook her head insistently. "You think I want to see him?"

"Maybe, maybe not." Mason shrugged. "Maybe you got it into your pretty little head that confession might be good for the soul and you invited him over for a little tête-à-tête." His voice hardened. "Let me suggest to you that it would not be a good idea."

"I didn't call him!" Carly swore, a desperate tone in her voice. "Look, I've had enough to deal with today and too many questions from too many men – and the last thing I need on top of everything else is you coming in here and trying to threaten me with your questions either!"

"Trying?" All traces of the smooth- talking lover was absent from his eyes. "I would never try and threaten you, Caroline. But at any rate, it's not me you should be concerned with at all, but Helena. And trust me, she never threatens. She only promises."

He walked to the desk and poured two cups of coffee. He handed her one, holding it out until she was forced to accept it. "But darling Caroline, don't think that I don't care. I still am very fond of you. For instance, tell me, what else have you had to deal with today? Who else was questioning you? Jax?" She was silent at first, so he persisted. "Come now, you know that sooner or later you will tell me what I want to know. Let's make it easier on the both of us, shall we?"

He had pretended to be Alexis' friend, hadn't he? Knowing Jax obviously wouldn't stop Mason from going after him if it got him whatever it was he wanted. That realization, added to the look in his eyes told Carly that he wouldn't stop until he knew the truth. He had the upper hand and they both knew it. And if he even thought that Jax was involved for a minute, there was no telling what he might do in retaliation. So reluctantly, she told him about the call from the DA's office.

"Interesting." Mason commented when she was done.

"I didn't tell _him_ anything either."

"For your son's sake, I'm sure you didn't." Mason said with a smile. "He's such a delightful boy. Full of fire and a sense of adventure and daring – just like his mother, I might add. You should have seen him when we were exploring the caves beneath Windermere. Totally fearless. He told me he couldn't wait until we did it again. I had to tell him that I didn't know when that would be though. He was so disappointed."

He looked at Carly meaningfully. "But I can promise you, he can't wait until the next time I see him. Do you think he'll be as happy to see me as you used to be?"

She stared up at him with equal parts of anger and fear. Anger at herself for having been so stupid to have been attracted to him, fear for what might happen to her son because of it.

Mason laughed at Carly's expression. "I see you've caught my little innuendo. Good for you." He moved closer and took a lock of her hair between his fingers and caressed it softly. He let his fingers trail across her cheek, his eyes never changed as she flinched at his touch.

He smiled down at her again before turning away and walking to the door. He opened it and turned back to her. "Don't worry. As soon as Helena's plans are completed, we will all be free to go on with our lives."

"She..she has Alexis. What is she going to do with her? What else does she want?"

"I don't think you really want to know that, do you? It seems like you have enough secrets you need to keep. And now that I think about it, that concerns me." Mason paused, losing himself in thought for a moment. After a long moment, he turned back to face Carly, slowly closing the door behind him. "I'm afraid that the situation calls for a change in plans. Your plans."

* * *

A short time later, Jax was still sitting at his table when Mason joined him.

"That must have been an interesting conversation." Mason said with his usual sardonic smile. Jax was obviously very much preoccupied by whatever had gone on. He stared at the stairs, not replying for a moment, then as though some inner sense had finally noticed Mason, he caught himself with a little shake and turned to the other man. "What did you say?"

"I said – that must have been an interesting conversation. Very interesting." Mason exaggerated a look around the area. "Corinthos is gone, there's no broken barware, no blood on the floor, furniture in order and you're still in one piece. What happened? Did the two of you have a sweet little get-together to do what? Exchange recipes?"

Jax ignored his remarks, not bothering to rise as usual to Mason's taunts. When he didn't reply, Mason shrugged and switched topics. "I had a long conversation with Carly and I think she's in need of some serious TLC, so I hope you don't mind if we take a long lunch today. That won't interfere with your plans, will it? Jax?"

Jax nodded absently. "Have you spoken to Alexis lately?"

If he was surprised by the question, Mason barely showed it. With his usual smoothness, he recovered from the unexpected turn of the conversation without missing a beat. "No, not today."

"No, wait." Mason paused in a calculated move, shaping his features into a frown. "Not today, but yesterday. It was the last time I did see Alexis, in a park on the other side of town. You had just had lunch with her, she told me. When I ran into her in the park she appeared to be having an argument with a man. It was AJ Quartemaine." Mason leaned across the table and looked in his eyes, in an attempt to express a false concern. "What's going on, Jax? Is something wrong?"

Jax was still staring at the club's entrance, his mind racing. "I don't know yet."


	87. Something Wicked This Way Comes

**CHAPTER EIGHTY SEVEN  
**_Something Wicked This Way Comes_

Later in the day, Jax stood on the edge of the Cassadine launch pier, oblivious to the wind and rain pounding down on him. The storm had intensified throughout the afternoon and he could barely see the profile of Spoon Island across the water. He stared through the dark mists, worrying in spite of himself.

Gusts of wind and torrents of rain ripped against his body as Jax turned and fought his way back to his car. Once inside, Jax raised his hand and wiped the cold water from his face, then sat back for a moment. He tried to think about what he should do next, but his worry began to eat at him in ever increasing amounts.

After he'd left Club 101, he'd tried to go on with his own plans for the afternoon, but Sonny's visit –and more importantly, his words - had stuck with him. The fact that Sonny had come to him in itself spoke volumes. That prompted him to try and reach Alexis himself several times through the afternoon, but hadn't been able to get through to Windermere at all. He told himself it was just interference from the storm, but that still didn't dispel the nagging bite of uncertainty that stayed in the back of his mind. Finally, it grew to the point to where Jax shelved all hopes of getting any other work done. He canceled the rest of his schedule and had gone down to the docks, hoping against hope that the launch would be at the pier, but he hadn't been surprised that it hadn't been.

Sonny was over-reacting, he told himself. It was just a storm and Alexis was fine. Well, as fine as she could be, given what she'd been going through lately. He'd seen her do this a hundred times. It was just like her, to not want to ask for help, to even hate want to need it, but choosing to stand on her own two feet and handle things all by herself. It was, wasn't it? This was crazy. And damn Sonny for putting those worries into his head.

"Alexis, honey, what's going on with you?" He murmured aloud.

* * *

It was shortly after lunchtime, Alexis figured, before she was brought into Helena's presence once again. Thankfully, Mason had been gone when she'd awakened. A tray had been brought to her by a stranger, a guard who would neither look at her or engage her in any sort of conversation. The breakfast served was quite substantial and if she had to admit it, very good. Eggs, croissants, fresh fruit and coffee. After a momentary hesitation, Alexis decided to eat. Helena had her, she reasoned; if she had wanted to simply poison her, she could have done so already without Alexis ever setting her eyes on her. No, Helena had something else in mind for her, and she would need all the strength she could come up with. That decided, Alexis surprised herself at her appetite.

She'd been left to herself the rest of the morning. A bit of exploring revealed that her own clothes and toiletries from what she'd left at Windermere previously had been transferred here, and so she showered and dressed. In a defiant mood, Alexis chose a red silk blouse and navy pants. She even applied her make-up with her usual care. Helena was not going to find her whipped and cringing, whenever she designed to make an appearance.

That done, Alexis spent more time exploring the rest of the suite, looking for anything she could use in any way. Nothing was left that could possibly be used as a weapon or to aid in an escape. The tower windows were sealed shut, there were no phones, and the door impregnable. Helena had been too thorough. Alexis had known she would be, but she'd had to try. At last, she settled down in one of the window seats and stared out over the storm tossed river, doing her best not to give in to the fear Helena no doubt intended her to. Instead she let her mind wander over happier thoughts, memories that would give her strength and courage.

Even if worse came to worse, she'd had a good life. She'd loved and had been loved. Her mind dwelt over memories of Stefan, Nikolas, Ned, Kristina and Sonny, thinking only of the happy times she'd shared with them. She could almost hear the echoes of laughter and feel the embrace of phantom arms enveloping her. The flush of first young love she'd experienced by Stefan's championing her through her earliest years, the familial pride that she'd felt as she watched Nikolas grow into young manhood, a fitting heir to the Cassadine legacy, formed and framed by Stefan's sensibilities, a young man full of honor and old-worldliness that lent a gravity to him that Kristina's presence had begun to alleviate. And Kristina... exasperating, maddening, she was a blast of fresh air into what had become her rigid life, a titian-headed hurricane that breathed fresh feelings into Alexis' existence and had blew open the doors to her soul. Even Ned had had her place in her life, her first taste of adult love, of finding a heart simpatico with her own, even if it had not turned out to be forever. All that they had brought to her life had brought her to this point; the where the sum of her life had led her to finding a new love, a lasting love in the most unexpected places - in the arms of a man who was her opposite in so many ways, but at the same time had turned out to fit all the uneven/broken, empty places in her heart and fill them to overflowing. Alexis reached out and traced Sonny's name on the condensation of the window pane.

And if Helena thought she was going to take that from her without a fight, she was dead wrong.

The sky had been leaden since the dawn and she watched throughout the morning as the clouds lowered until their was no distinguishing between river and sky. The winds whistled around the tower walls. Alexis curled up, arms around knees and let her thoughts take her away from the present. She roused when she heard sounds outside her door. Two guards entered, one only speaking to inform her that Madame Cassadine had requested her presence. Alexis kept her composure as best she could; there was no use in playing defiant at the request. They would either escort her there or drag her there. Choosing the lesser of two evils, Alexis chose to walk.

Head held high, she walked into the room where Helena was finishing the last of her own meal. She made a gesture, and the two guards left them alone.

"Well, my dear, you are looking well, considering the circumstances." she said to Alexis with her usual chilling smile." And dressed in red. Defiant to the last, hm?"

"What are the circumstances, Helena?" Alexis replied evenly, proud that her voice remained steady despite the nervous flutterings of her stomach. Like it or not, a part of her remembered the fear that that smile could evoke. "You wanted me, you got me. Check and checkmate. So what now?"

"Curious as to my plans?" Helena raised an eyebrow. " I'm sure you're wondering why it is you're still alive. The answers will come, all in good time. Suffice it to say, we both know that you've done work for me before. I require your services again, for the good of the Cassadine clan.."

"Any decisions to be made for the Cassadines are going to made by Nikolas. He has my complete and total loyalty and that is something you will never have. I'm through being intimidated by you, Helena. The little mouse is gone forever."

"Is she?" Helena's voice was faintly amused.

"She is. You know, Stefan spent his entire adult life fighting you and protecting Nikolas. I won't desecrate his memory by letting you rule me through fear. He lived everyday with the knowledge that you wanted him dead. And yet, he did his duty. I won't do any less. You can only kill me once, Helena. So if that's the price that I have to pay to keep Nikolas safe from you, then I'll gladly do it."

To her surprise, Helena laughed and clapped her hands. "Oh, Brava, Alexis. Well done, little nothing! You've grown a backbone. I'm sure Mikkos would be so proud." A second later, her amusement disappeared from her expression, replaced by a sneer. "A true Cassadine at last."

"That's what you've always hated about me, isn't it? That I am a "true" Cassadine, with a blood-born right to the name. And that I was born out of love."

"Ah, l'amour - that overrated sentiment. Is that what's given you your new-found resolve?"

"Has anyone ever loved you, Helena? And I'm not talking about that twisted parasitical relationship you shared with your eldest son, but love that touched your heart. Love that took away your worse fears and heals every wound your heart has ever held? No, you never have. And that's why you are what you are."

"How sentimental. It's a revelation to discover how you've become so discerning, as well. Stefan has taught you well - for all the good it did him - or you - in the end. He wouldn't co-operate with so many of my plans, and actually thwarted a fair share of them. He abused the power he was privy to, and so I had him - removed."

"Stefan loved me. He taught me that, without words, but just in being. So - are you planning to remove me as well?"

"You, unlike Stefan, still have a measure of usefulness left. So you see, I actually have no plans to dispose of you just yet. Your expertise in handling Cassadine affairs is still very much needed."

"Nikolas is the Prince. No matter what you do, you can't change that. And he will not bow down to you, not even for me. Stefan taught him well, too."

Helena continued to speak as though Alexis hadn't said a word. "First off, you're going to make a phone call. It wouldn't do for either your current paramour or your best friend, the delectable Jasper Jax, to be concerned about your disappearance." Helena studied Alexis' face. "And don't start getting ideas about dropping any secret clues as to your whereabouts, either. I have no intention of allowing you to speak to either Corinthos or Jax directly. You'll call that Club 101 and you'll leave a message saying that you had to go out of town suddenly."

"Why Club 101?" The sudden realization came to her – she heard Carly's voice in her head: . _"I love my son, Alexis. Whatever I do, I do for him."_

and she let out a gasp in spite of herself. "Carly was a part of this!"

"She was a useful pawn for a time. But only useful to a point."

Despite her own feelings for Carly, Alexis shivered inwardly. Carly hadn't known the devil she'd allowed herself to get involved with.

"I wouldn't worry overmuch about her. I assure you, she didn't worry about your well-being at all." Not precisely true, but what did it matter at this point? "Let's stay on track here, shall we? About that phone call..."

"I know you think that holding me will guarantee your grandson's compliance, but Nikolas won't co-operate with you, no matter what you do. And neither will I. Nikolas is the most important thing in my life. And I won't be the instrument you use to hurt him."

"Do you really believe that, dear Alexis? Well, well, that will be an interesting plot to watch play out. If Nikolas does decide to sacrifice you to retain control, well, I can understand the choice. In fact, I applaud the decision; it would only prove that he is more than ready to fully accept his heritage as the Cassadine Prince. It would interfere with my present plans, but I'd learn to live with the disappointment. You, however, would not - unfortunately."

Helena stood and summoned the guards. When they had reappeared, she walked to one wall and activated a switch that opened one of the many secret passageways of the mansion. "But enough of your defiance. It's a waste of energy that you will need elsewhere." She turned and entered the tunnel and Alexis was left with no choice but to follow.

Helena continued to speak, almost conversationally. "I've found, that to do what needs to be done, all anyone needs is the right incentive. I believe I have the coin that will buy you, Alexis. First of all, there is the matter of your loyal bodyguard," she reminded Alexis. "You begged so prettily for his life once. And if his life isn't enough, I believe I have other resources."

One guard walked beside Helena with an electric lantern, the other kept a firm but polite grip on Alexis' arm. As she talked, Helena led them on a path that took them downward for a time and then upward through what quickly became a maze of twists and turns that would only be recognizable to Helena. Alexis knew that she'd never be able to find her own way back.

All of her earlier bravado began to waver. The walls seemed to close around them, the only light was what came from the two guards lanterns, but Helena continued on as though she were merely taking a stroll around the grounds. At last, they came to a halt; their last turning brought them to a massive metal door. At a gesture from Helena, one of the men unbolted it and swung the heavy door open.

The interior was totally lightless and Alexis could barely make out the room's windowless interior. All of her childhood fears came rushing back at her, of locked closets and endless dark and Helena's presence looming monstrously over it all. It had been one of Stavros' greatest amusements when they were young, to lock her away after she'd performed some imagined faux paux or displeased his mother in any small way. Alexis clasped her hands together, determined not to show Helena the terror that was building inside her. Was this her plan, to torture her by forcing her to relive her childhood fears until she broke? Or would she leave her here until she died, to repay her for her defiance? Without realizing it, she took a step backwards.

The guard holding her moved Alexis forward. She moved stiffly, but halted at the threshold. The other guard stepped to her other side; they both looked at Helena, awaiting her next orders.

Helena glanced at Alexis' face and laughed. "Don't be so dramatic. I see you do remember the games you and Stavros played, but I had no intentions of inflicting that particular horror on you. Unless it becomes necessary, of course. Don't worry, you'll be comfortable enough here. And look, I've even provided you with some companionship." She flicked on a light and Alexis' eyes moved swiftly, taking in the room's interior. The room was sparsely furnished with only a bed lying against the far wall.

There was someone in it. The figure stirred, turning weakly towards the door. As the light shone on his darkly-golden hair, Alexis' knees buckled beneath her. Only the guards' quick actions kept her from falling.

"Stefan." She breathed. Alexis stepped forward, only to be halted by the guards' grip on her arms.

"As you can see, he's alive. For now. If you'd like his well being to continue..." Helena handed her the cell phone. "Make the phone calls, my dear."


	88. Plans & Plots & Wishful Thinking

**CHAPTER EIGHTY-EIGHT  
**_Plans and Plots and Wishful Thinking_

Sonny wasn't sure he was buying it. Why would Alexis call his main warehouse and leave him a message here? Why not call the penthouse? Why not call him on his cell? And the message didn't contain not a single word about Johnny. And the bodyguard hadn't checked in with him either. It could be the storm fouling everything up, but Sonny couldn't be sure. And until he was, he wasn't happy about any of it.

He flicked on the radio on his desk to check the weather. He was expecting a coffee shipment as well as having a meeting with some Venezuelan coffee brokers this evening. The storm's intensity was growing; the forecasters were predicting that by nightfall, wind gusts could reach hurricane strength with torrential downpours. Sonny debated postponing the meeting but then decided against it. Alexis had put this meeting into play and it had taken months of legal maneuvering to seal this deal to his advantage. She was supposed to have been there with him to close the deal, but her family emergency had changed all that.

"I wanted you there with me, Alexis." he said aloud. And he could hear her voice in his head, answering him.

_"And for what, to hold your hand?"_

_"No, you already have a hold on my heart. I don't need nothing else."_

_"Well then, go get 'em, Mr. Corinthos. The work is done, just go and charm them and get their John Hancock's on the dotted line. And considering the intricacies involved - not to mention the number of Latino male egos involved, all of whom I properly soothed and settled expertly, I think your lawyer should get a well-earned bonus for this one."_

She would be right.

Maybe she was just overwhelmed by her family business. The Cassadine holdings were an international concern. Sonny knew first hand how much time, work and energy it took to maintain a large sized business empire, how much more was involved when they were talking about business on a global scale?

He tried ringing Alexis' cell phone and then Windermere itself. And again, no connection available. By now she was probably airborne and once her plane actually landed in England, there was no telling how long she'd be before she found time to call. Like it or not, he'd just have to wait for her to call him.

Sonny just hoped it would be soon.

* * *

Jax decided to head back to the Club after realizing that he'd left the papers for the Chicago deal there while talking with Carly and dealing with Sonny. She could use some bolstering up, he decided, and it would momentarily take his mind off of his silly worries over Alexis. By the time he arrived, it was almost time for opening for the after-work, happy hour crowd. The headwaiter met Jax just after he entered the club.

"Mr. Jax, you have a message.. two in fact." He handed Jax two slips of papers. Jax opened the notes as he walked towards the office. The first one, from Carly, stopped him in his tracks. What was going on... a note saying that she needed a few days off - with everything that had been happening to her, she just wanted some time alone.

So what had happened? Had Corinthos gotten to Carly after all, and his first visit nothing but a trick to get Jax to drop his guard? Had he upset her to the point that she ran from Port Charles in the middle of a storm? Jax shook his head in disgust. He opened the second note just as he reached the office. And now he went from anger to confusion. Alexis called and left a message for him here?

Maybe it was the storm. All while he'd been trying to reach her, she had been trying to reach him. And had had about the same success. And Alexis, knowing that sooner or later he'd be worried about her, had called the next logical place to find him. That idea made more and more sense to him, the more he thought about it, and Jax let himself relax into the relief pouring through him before he even read the note. It explained everything. She'd had to fly out of town on an emergency. He knew that Nikolas and Kristina had flown to Europe in order for Nikolas to solidify his standing with the European Cassadine concerns, and that had to be where Alexis had gone to. Her note went on to explain that she hadn't bothered to return to her apartment to pack, but had booked herself on the first available flight.

Of course. If Nikolas needed her, she would just go. That was pure Alexis. His adorably stubbornly independent Alexis. He was going to have a little talk with her when she got back to the States. Just a little something about informing her ex-husband as to her comings and goings when they involved crossing international date lines _before_ they occurred. That wasn't too much to ask, was it?

Jax was still smiling at the scene unfolding in his head about that future conversation when someone knocked at the door. He called for them to enter and was surprised to see Bobbie Spencer in the door.

"Bobbie, what a pleasant surprise." he said, coming from around the desk to greet her. "But what can I do for you? Carly isn't here."

"I know she isn't. Shame on you, Jax." Bobbie said.

"I didn't have anything to do with that."

"Oh sure." Bobbie said, with a small laugh. "You and your corporate mogul mentality has Carly so up and raring to go that she flew out of town on a business meeting in the middle of a storm."

Jax realized that Carly had lied to her mother about her whereabouts. Why?

"But I shouldn't complain – from what I've seen, you've been a really good influence on Carly." Bobbie hadn't noticed the momentary surprise that had crossed Jax's face so she continued talking. "Actually, it's rather a good thing to see Carly so involved with something other than the state of her relationship with...with her ex-husband."

Bobbie paused, obviously a little embarrassed at having brought up Sonny's name in conversation. Their on-going dislike of one another was no secret.  
"Like your friend Mason. Carly has been spending a lot of time with him, and that's just what she needs. Things and people to help her get her life together after the divorce. I did want to thank you for that.

"I actually came by because Michael had left one of his favorite toys here." Bobbie looked around and found the car quickly. She moved to pick it up, still chattering. "Of course, Michael is a little disappointed that his mom won't be home for a few days, but Sonny promised to come see him as soon as he's finished with his meeting at the Grille." She glanced at her watch. "And that should be in about another hour or so."

Bobbie caught herself, then she grinned and threw up her hands in apology. "Oops, I said the "S" word again. Sorry, Jax."

"It's all right, Bobbie." Jax reassured her.

"You know I don't mean to bring up his name on purpose, knowing how the two of you feel about each other, but like it or not, Sonny is still involved in Carly's life, if for no other reason than he's Michael's father. I don't mean to get into your business, but I hope that isn't going to be a problem in the future. I'm just worried about Carly getting caught in the middle of something between the two of you."

"That's not going to happen. I respect Carly. I'm not blind to her faults, but there's a lot to her that people don't see."

"She's my daughter, Jax, and I love her. But be careful. Carly doesn't always think before she acts. And the collateral damage can be - intense. Carly doesn't do things half-way. Good or bad."

"She told me something to that effect this morning. Warned me, in fact. Isn't that a step forward?"

"It is. You've been good to her, Jax. I just wanted you to know how much I appreciate it."

"It's been - a learning experience for us both." Jax told her. Bobbie left shortly after, and Jax was left with his thoughts once more, this time fueled by Bobbie's information. Carly had ran, lied to her mother about it and the more he thought about it, the more he became convinced that the reason why was at the Grille.

Jax left the office. After questioning some of the staff, he found the waiters who had taken Carly's message and asked him about Carly's demeanor. Yes, the boss lady had looked stressed, the waiter told him.

"Something about her was off, she didn't look good, but she wouldn't say. I did ask her if everything was okay, but she didn't answer me." He told Jax. "All she did was hand me this note, tell me to make sure you got it this afternoon and take off."

Carly was running from something...or more to the point, someone. And that someone was Sonny, Jax was sure of it. He paused long enough to give instructions for the head waiters and bar staff to handle the staff for tonight and after that, then headed for his car, his temper growing steadily by the minute. He pointed it in the direction of the Grille.

En route, his cell phone rang. Hoping it was Alexis, he answered it on the first ring. Instead, it was Mason, asking about Alexis.

"No, I haven't see her." Jax said. "But let me ask you about Carly…did the two of you have lunch? How was she?"

"Yes we had lunch together." Mason told him. "Not as long as I would have wished, though. She seemed – preoccupied. And not too thrilled with my company." He was telling a truth in a way, so that Jax would not detect the lies underlying his words.

"Just pre-occupied? Nothing else?"

"Nothing else… like what?"

"I don't know. Tense, troubled, anxious - afraid?"

"Afraid?" Mason repeated his last word. "Afraid of what, Jax? Why are you so worried about Carly? You know we've become - close, so tell me, what's going on?"

Jax told him what he had learned about the note Carly had left. "You saw her reaction this morning when you told us that Sonny was on his way into the Club. She was terrified."

"I thought you set him straight about her." Mason said. "You told him to keep away from her, didn't you? But now you think he was after Carly?" He was carefully feeding Jax just enough fuel at a time to keep his anger burning bright.

"Obviously I didn't say it strongly enough. But he claimed he was there on a matter that had nothing to do with Carly, so I let it go. But now I'm thinking he wasn't counting on my being at the Club when he got there."

Mason hesitated carefully. "I don't know if this will help or not, but Carly told me that she went to see Sonny down at the PCPD. She said she went to offer whatever support she could to the father of her child and he – well, let's just say that there was nothing gentlemanly about his response."

Jax swore. "I'll just bet it wasn't. And something had to have happened after that to make Carly run. And Sonny is going to tell me what it is."

"So what's the plan?"

"One way or the other, I'm going to find out why Carly ran. And Sonny is on the top of the list as to finding the answers. I just found out that he's at the Grille and I'm on my way there."

"I don't have to tell you to be careful, do I?"

"I've never been afraid of Corinthos and I'm not going to start now." Jax hung up. If Sonny had answers, he was going to give them up.


	89. Conspiracy Theories

**CHAPTER EIGHT-NINE**  
_Conspiracy Theories_

When Jax arrived at the Grille a few minutes later, he was in a dangerous frame of mind. He needed the answers to too many questions. After talking with Mason, his earlier worries about Alexis had resurfaced for some reason. His concerns for both women overrode everything else. How could he have been so foolish regarding Sonny's motives. His track record with women spoke for himself. He'd been a fool to think that because it was Alexis that Sonny would be any different. If anyone could have changed him, it would have to be a woman like Alexis. But Sonny was too puffed up, conceited and selfish to see it. Angry at himself and for Alexis' blindness combined, he was not in the mood for superficial explanations. Sonny had better not try and hand him any.

Unfortunately for AJ Quartemaine, he was the first person Jax recognized as he entered the restaurant. He was sitting with his wife at the bar, oblivious to his presence until Jax approached them.

"I need to talk to you." he said to AJ. "Now."

"Make an appointment with my secretary, Mr. Business Tycoon. Business hours are over, and I'm not open for business. Just pleasure." He smiled at his wife and took her hand. "Unless you're beautiful, blonde – and my wife. And sorry, two out of three doesn't cut it." He laughed at his own joke.

"Liquid pleasure?" Jax asked sarcastically. He looked meaningfully at the bar. "I suppose Courtney should be thankful that you waited til after business hours to start. But that's none of my business."

"You're right, it is none of your business." Courtney interrupted him. "But for your information, we're at the bar only because we're waiting to be seated in the restaurant, Jax. And like my husband said, we're here to be together, not to discuss business. If you want to talk to him, make an appointment."

"This isn't about business. This is about Alexis."

"What about her?"

"Don't play games with me. I know you had words with her."

"Yeah. We spoke. What's it to you?"

"I want to know what about."

"Yeah, me too." The three of them turned to see Sonny standing there. "I want to know why Alexis wasted her time talking to you."

AJ slid off his stool and faced both Jax and Sonny. "You know what? That's none of either of you jerks' business. Isn't there such a thing as lawyer privileges – confidentiality or something like that?"

"That's client-attorney privileges- and you for sure were not or ever will be one of Alexis' clients." Sonny said.

"Yeah, you got that all sewed up, don't you, Sonny?" AJ shot back. "Are you now her exclusive client – no one else is worthy? Or has she just become another possession of yours?"

"Can we please not do this now?" Courtney pleaded with them. As tears filled her eyes, AJ slipped a protective arm around her.

"We're not going to do anything, sweetheart." He said. AJ glared at the two of them, but his gaze was tender when he turned it back to Courtney. He looked back at Jax once more. "Like I said – you want to talk to me, make it during business hours – and call and make an appointment first." Without looking at either man again, he turned around and left with his wife.

Sonny turned to Jax. "I'd like to know what was going on with AJ and Alexis? Did you get anything useful?"

Jax ignored his question, asking instead, one of his own.. "I want to know what's going on with you and Carly?"

"What are you talking about, Jax? There is no me and Carly. I told you when I came to the club that I didn't want to talk to Carly. Forget Carly. It's AJ that we need to concentrate on. Whatever he said about Alexis, it's a lie. You don't believe anything he told you, do you? He'd betray his own grandmother "

"He didn't tell me anything. But speaking about betrayal, let's stay on Carly for a moment, shall we? Because we all know how you deal with people who betray you, don't we, Sonny?"

Sonny turned to look at him. "What are you talking about?"

"Like you don't know?"

"No, I don't. So spill. Have you talked to Alexis yet?"

Jax continued to ignore his questions until he got the answers he was looking for. "I got a question for you. Have you talked to Carly?"

"No. Like I said ten seconds ago, and like I told you already - I'm not trying to talk to her right now. What she does is no concern of mine's."

"I'm not convinced that's true." Jax looked at Sonny, marveling at how easily and smoothly Sonny could tell a lie.

"What are you talking about?"

"Carly's gone."

"Gone where?"

"A better question is why?"

"I gave up on trying to figure out why Carly does what she does a long time ago. Quit dancing and tell me what you think is going on."

Jax was more than happy to tell him. Carly was gone, leaving a note telling him that she was taking a few days off, the staff at the club who'd seen her had said she was acting strange when she left. And to cap it all off, she'd lied to her mother about it.

"Mason told us you were coming into the club; and when he did, I saw Carly's face. She was afraid of having to face you. Why was that?"

"She had no reason to be afraid of me." Sonny said. "Let's look at what you've got so far. Carly lied. And that has you thinking I must have something to do with her disappearance?"  
Sonny snorted. "You don't know Carly half as well as you think you do."

"And you do?"

"Yeah, and that's why she's my EX-wife, Jax."

"Excuse me, did you say that you're ex-wife is missing?" Jax and Sonny turned to see ADA Cohen standing just behind them. Beyond him were two plains-clothes officers.

"She's not missing, she took a trip." Sonny answered him.

"Hmm...seems to me that her business partner thinks otherwise." Cohen looked more than a little pleased with himself. "She did come down to the PCPD the last time we met… and you were seen arguing there. This was before your attorney appeared. Now, both women seemed to have disappeared. I find that disturbing – don't you, Mr. Jax?"

Jax was silent, his eyes went from one man to the other.

"Yeah, Carly came down to the PCPD. I told her to go home. I didn't want her there." Sonny told him. His temper flared to match Jax's - since when did he have to explain himself to Jax or anyone else! He looked at Jax. "That was the last time I saw her - how about you? You're her business partner. You see more of her than I have these days."

"I saw her at the club earlier today. She seemed a little shaken up. Did you threaten her if she came near you again?"

"And that's an interesting bit of information." Cohen said. "Did either of these two ladies have anything to fear from you?"

Jax focused on Sonny as he spoke. "I received a message from Ms. Davis a short time ago. She had to take an unexpected trip. Family business."

"Are you sure about that?" Sonny asked sharply.

"That's interesting. I do have to wonder why it is that two women who are acquainted with you, Mr. Corinthos, find the need to take unexpected trips. Both of them perhaps privy to parts of your life that might make them – vulnerable?" Cohen asked, his eyes shining with interest.

"If you think I had anything to do with either of them disappearing, you're crazy." Sonny told him. "Is that why you're here, harassing me? You tried that last time and it got you nowhere."

"Oh no, Mr. Corinthos. I'm not here to harass you. Although this new information is, as they say, icing on the cake. I'm here to discuss other charges."

"Like?…"

"I have information tying you to Stefan Cassadine's untimely demise."

"Are you crazy?"

"Are you? I doubt that an insanity defense will help you in any way. I have strong evidence pointing to you that links you and the deceased. In light of that evidence, I think you lured Stefan Cassadine to your warehouse with the intent of killing him in that explosion."

"Why would I? Stefan Cassadine was no threat to me."

"It's been said that you and your attorney are very close. How close is something still to be determined, but in any case, maybe he didn't approve of the relationship – be it business or otherwise. And in order for it to continue, he needed to be removed. Or maybe you even saw a way to expand your power-base through the Cassadine connections. Alexis Davis could supply the means to that goal. In either scenario, Stefan Cassadine became a liability. What better way to remove him and at the same time, take all suspicions off of yourself by arranging an explosion within your own territory?

"And perhaps Ms. Davis and the ex-Mrs. Corinthos got wind of these plans and that's why they've suddenly vanished?"

"Get real. I don't threaten women." Sonny said angrily.

"Even when they are a threat to you?"

"Carly is no threat to me. And neither is Alexis." Sonny wasn't about to explain his relationship with either woman with Cohen. And especially not the relationship he had with Alexis. Cohen would never ever be able to begin to understand.

"Mr. Corinthos, all I know is what I know. Can you account for your whereabouts last night?"

"I was alone in my penthouse. My bodyguard can vouch for that."

"I'm sure he can." Cohen's voice was full of disbelief. "But without any other corroboration, I'm afraid that you're going to have to come downtown with me." Cohen glanced over his shoulder to his officers. His gaze, when he turned back to Sonny, was triumphant. "Are we going to need cuffs?" It was very plain to see that Cohen would like nothing better than to use them. But something in Sonny's eyes made him ask.

Sonny stared at him for one long and silent moment. Cohen mistook his silence for capitulation and put out a hand to place on his arm to take Sonny away.

"Don't touch me." Sonny's voice was quiet, yet filled to overflowing with menace and the power that had made greater, stronger, more lethal men than Cohen step back. The ADA did no less than them. His hand dropped as though he'd touched a live flame.

Sonny turned to Jax. "You know these charges are bogus. First off - I'd never do anything that would hurt Alexis in any way – and if you don't know anything else, you know that. Secondly," and he turned a look of open contempt onto the ADA, "If I were to be so stupid as to come up with such a plan, do you really believe that I'd be stupid enough to leave evidence around waiting for the first publicity-hungry junior district attorney to snap up?"

Without another word, Sonny turned away and walked from the restaurant, Cohen and his men following close behind.

Jax turned away, his mind whirling, unable to come to a decision about what was really going on. While he was trying to think, Mason appeared at his shoulder.

"That was – entertaining, to say the least. I've never seen a crime lord get taken down in person before. Usually those things only happen on the six 0'clock news."

"I'm not sure if they've got the right man this time." Jax muttered.

"What! I thought you two were enemies. We should be having a drink and celebrating!"

"I'm not up to celebrating right about now."

"And why is that?"

Jax looked at Mason, feeling a sudden distaste and disinclination for his company. "It's personal."

Mason backed off. "Fine. It's personal. I get it." He glanced at his watch. "I'll leave you to it."

"Yeah, why don't you do that." Without waiting for the other man to reply, Jax turned on his heel and walked out of the restaurant.

"Oh by the way, I did want to let you know that I'll be out of town for a few days. Some business up in New York City I have to take care of." Mason called after him. Jax never turned around. "I see that you'll miss me, darling. I'll miss you too And oh yes, give my love to Carly when you see her, won't you!"

Mason watched as Jax disappeared through the double doors of the restaurant. He stared after him for a long moment, then laughed long and loud.


	90. Innocent Until

**CHAPTER NINETY  
**_Innocent Until  
_

Jax sat in his car, stared up at the building's entrance, and wondered for the hundredth time what in the world was he doing here. It had all started with a phone call the night before. Coming from the distance that it did, it was conversation full of repeated words and broken static, but its purpose had set Jax on a path that he'd never thought he'd pursue.

Freeing Sonny Corinthos from jail.

_:Flashback:_

"_Jax… can you hear me?"_

"_Barely… but I'm glad you called, Kristina – did Alexis' plane land already?"_

"_Alexis' plane? Did she tell you she was coming?"_

"_No, she told me she was going to Europe…well not exactly…" A wash of static blurred their connection and Jax could barely make out what Kristina was trying to tell him. But what he got sent a chill through him. Kristina had been trying to reach Alexis for the past few hours and hadn't been able to. She'd tried Sonny's apartment after that and again, couldn't get through. But Alexis wasn't expected by wither her or Nikolas. They had been worried because they hadn't been able to reach her. _

"_She left a message telling me there was an emergency." _

"_Jax, there's no emergency over here. What's going on?" Even with the interference, Jax could hear the panic beginning to rise in Kristina's voice. "What's wrong, Jax!"_

"_I don't know." Jax was forced to tell her. "Sit tight; I'm going to find out what's going on and I'll get back to you as soon as I can."_

_:;End Flashback:_

That phone call had set every alarm inside of him to ringing. Now he was more than worried. Where was Alexis? Why had she seemingly dropped out of sight? Was it Cassadine business, or was something more sinister going on.

He had spent a long and sleepless night. First, he'd gone back to the club and tracked down the employee who had taken Alexis' message. Then, his mind ruthlessly calculating, he went over all the events of the evening, including the conversations with Sonny before and at the Grille. He was forced to admit that Sonny had been right – he wouldn't have done anything to hurt Alexis, and he wasn't stupid enough to leave incriminating evidence around for the law to get ahold of. Alexis was missing, and her main protector, Sonny, had been set up to keep him from going after her.

Jax let his analytical skills take over from there. A few phone calls and he found out exactly what evidence the ADA had found that had resulted in Sonny's being brought in for questioning. And then he set his own resources at work checking and rechecking it A team of technical experts had gone to work with the information he'd given them and their efforts had brought him here, parked in front of the PCPD in the early morning.

In this one instance, Sonny was innocent. Jax shook his head, fully aware of the irony of being the man to prove it. The ADA had had mostly computer- based evidence against him. But Jax's experts had gone into the system with their own electronic methodology, which were definitely more high-tech than what the police department could provide on short notice. Jax had then called in one of his own lawyers, presented him with the results of the night's work, proof that the emails and invoices and other files had been either phished or hacked into Sonny's system and had turned him loose on the PCPD. The lawyer, known for his take-no-prisoners attitude, bolstered by a bonus including a sizable digit followed by several zeros, had went to work with enthusiasm.

And that was why Jax was up and out in the middle of this filthy weather. He was sure Sonny was going to be as happy to see him as he was to be out here waiting for him. A grim smile graced his lips in spite of himself.

* * *

Sonny was in a harsh mood as he exited the PCPD. Someone had tried to set him up for Stefan's murder and he didn't like it. He liked the sight of Jax rising out of the back of the limo even less.

"Come to gloat, Candyboy?" Sonny barely paused to look at Jax before heading to his own car.

"Can it, Sonny. Things have changed. I know you didn't have anything to do with Stefan's death. But something else going down and I don't like it."

"And I should care - why?"

"Because it's serious - it involves Alexis and the fact that no one knows where she is – and explains why you had that bogus evidence planted against you." Jax jerked his head towards his limo. "Get in and I'll explain."

Sonny shook his head then motioned towards his own car. "I trust my guys a helluva lot more than I trust yours." When Jax hesitated, he added. "Their loyalty is based on a lot more than a paycheck. Can you say the same?"

"Good point." Jax followed Sonny to his car.

Once they settled into the backseat of Sonny's limo, Jax outlined what he'd found out so far, starting with Kristina's phone call about not knowing anything about Alexis' heading to Europe.

"Did Alexis' message say specifically that's where she was going?" Sonny asked.

"No, just that she had to go out of town suddenly and that she'd be in touch as soon as she was able."

"With no direct contact with either me, you, or Kristina and Nikolas?" Sonny thought out loud. "I'm not liking it."

"Neither am I. That's why we're sitting here."

"Yeah, and I still got questions about that." Sonny said.

Jax explained. Sonny's computer had been hacked into and the evidence framing him had been hacked and phished.

"Phished?"

Jax explained the hackers ability to generate emails that look like they come from one place while actually coming from another. What they had found so far was what had gotten Sonny released. His people were still working on doing a backwards trace on the coding to tell them who was behind it.

Sonny opines that his people may be able to produce results quicker, not being constrained by certain ethics.

Jax bared teeth at him in a grin that held little humor. "You forget, this involves Alexis. Ethics don't apply; so I think I got that covered."

Seeing the look in Jax's eyes, Sonny saw the truth there and a kindred determination. Jax was prepared to be as ruthless as Sonny was. Like it or not, as of right now, they were partners.

"What else we got?" Sonny asked.


	91. Unexpected Enemies

**CHAPTER NINETY-ONE  
Unexpected Enemies  
**

"I've had a ton of calls from both Kristina and Nikolas. Neither one of them were expecting Alexis." Jax told Sonny. The two men had gone their separate ways after their meeting that morning, then agreed to meet again before noon. The meeting place was at the Bistro park, the last place Alexis had been seen with Mason Lane.

To the casual passerby, it would have appeared that the two men had accidentally run into each other. That is, until they'd seen the looks in their eyes.

"Did you tell them to stay put?"

"Yes. But it wasn't easy to convince them that they could do more harm than good in rushing back here. Kristina especially. I finally managed to get Nikolas to understand that it was in Alexis' best interest that the two of them go on as though nothing had happened, and that they knew nothing out of the ordinary was going on." He looked at Sonny. "So what now?"

Sonny looked down at the benches surrounding the memory garden. He could almost see Alexis as she had looked sitting here, the bright flowers a background for her dark beauty. His blood began to boil and with a visible effort, he reined it in. "We pay a little visit to AJ."

AJ opened his apartment door and his jaw dropped as he looked from Jax to Sonny. "Now here's a sight I thought I'd never see." he said. "Okay, what's going on? Am I being Punked?" AJ poked his head out the doorway and looked up and down the hall. "Oh, come right in and make yourselves comfortable." he said sarcastically as they brushed past him.

AJ shut the door and turned to face them. "By the way, Courtney isn't home at the moment. She's out shopping."

"Good." Sonny said. "Then she won't have to witness this."

"Whatever, Sonny. So let's forget the usual un-pleasantries; to what do I owe the displeasure of your company?"

"We heard you had words with Alexis recently." Jax said.

"And you're both here to defend her honor. I'm sure she must be touched by such devotion. Or just touched period, especially since she chooses to associate with you Sonny. And Jax, I'm surprised to see you stooping so low as to be associating with - this thug in Armani." His gaze went over Sonny contemptuously. "Still protecting damsels in distress, I see. But with Sonny? Which of you is the hero and which gets to be the sidekick?"

"Forget you, AJ. Just tell us what the argument about."

"What argument?" AJ looked at the both of them as though they had grown two heads.

"So you're going to deny that you spoke with Alexis at all in the last few days?" Sonny took a menacing step forward. Jax put out a hand to restrain him, then looked at AJ, his own gaze bright and hard and full of meaning. The wrong answer, and Jax might let Sonny do as he wished. His next words confirmed it.

"Right now, I'd like nothing better than to watch Sonny smear you from one end of this place to the other. Hell, I might even feel the need to get a shot or two in myself before all is said and done. But that it won't give us the answers that we need." Jax stepped nearer to AJ, his own anger clear in his eyes and voice. "But let me warn you, my patience is wearing thin very quickly."

"And mine was gone five seconds after we got here." Sonny said, his voice roughened with an angry growl.

"Down boys." AJ answered them both. He gave Sonny a contemptuous glance and then turned the same onto Jax. "Put a muzzle on him, Jax. I don't know what answers you're looking for, but trying to intimidate me ain't gonna get them for you."

"I already know what a vindictive mean-spirited S.O.B. you can be, AJ." Sonny said angrily. "But you've stepped over the line one time too many..."

"Enough with the threats!" AJ interrupted him impatiently. " What is it I'm supposed to have allegedly done this time?" He smirked at them. "Notice the lawyer-speak? I'm sure Alexis would appreciate it…"

Her name on AJ's lips was more than Sonny could take.

"Enough!" The last of Sonny's patience shredded into nothingness. He jerked free from Jax and reached out for AJ, grabbing him by the collar. "Cut the crap! You and Alexis had an argument. What about! And what did you do to get back at her!" He jerked AJ's body as he ended each sentence, his voice rising with each movement until he was shouting in the other man's face.

AJ's hands surged up, clutching at Sonny's as he tried to free himself. "You're crazy, Sonny! I always knew it, but now you're certifiable! You've always looked for a reason to come after me, any reason and now you've gone and made up one!" The two men wrestled with each other, Sonny's hands twisting tighter into AJ's collar, trying his best to choke the truth out of him. Each of them pushed and shoved at the other as they tried to get an advantage.

For a moment, Jax stood still, stunned by the sudden eruption of violence. Then he jumped in. Sonny's grip was unbreakable, and AJ wrestled back with just as much determination. It was several minutes before Jax succeeded in breaking Sonny's stranglehold on AJ's shirt collar and forcing the two men apart.

AJ's face was flushed with anger and lack of air; his breath coming hard and fast. He glared at Sonny, who, standing a few paces away, stared right back.

"I didn't come up with anything." Sonny spoke from between clenched teeth. "So save your lies for somebody else." He took a step back towards AJ, who didn't flinch.

"I'm tired of this!" AJ exploded. "I don't know who's been feeding you lies, Sonny, and I don't much care – but here's a new flash: I never had an argument with Alexis!"

"Liar!" Sonny shouted.

"I wouldn't waste my time lying to you!" AJ shouted back. "A couple of days ago, yeah I talked to Alexis. TALKED. Or to tell the truth, she talked and I listened. And guess what? She told me what a fool I'd be if I let a chance for true love pass me by, just so I could get some sort of revenge against you. I thought she was trying to play me at first, get me to let my guard down so she could get something she could run straight back to you with and you could use against me. But then something in her voice, her eyes told me that she speaking straight from the heart."

"Alexis usually does." Jax said quietly.

"Yeah, well I don't know her like that." AJ said. "Anyways, surprise surprise, I heard what she said. I mean, really heard it. And then I went home to my wife." AJ's eyes went to Sonny's, his defiance plain and open to see. "I went home to my wife and told her I loved her."

"And we should believe you?" Sonny's dark eyes were hooded and his voice still skeptical.

"Ask me do I care, Sonny." AJ answered with a searing flippancy. "We both know I don't. So here's the deal and I'm only going to tell it to you once. Alexis and I ran into each other in the park over on Sheffield Avenue, across the street from LaLuna Bistro. I was just passing through and she was sitting on a bench beside a flower garden. I don't remember why I stopped, but I did. She talked to me and made me see who it was I'd really be hurting if I played games with Courtney's heart. Not you - as much as we both know I'd like that. But Courtney, Michael, and most of all, myself. I could choose that path, or I could choose to reach out and let love give me a second chance. The last I saw of Alexis, she was still sitting there when your friend came," AJ gestured to Jax. "and the last I saw of her, Alexis was talking to him."

"My friend?" Jax asked, with a suddenly sinking feeling. "Who?"

"Carly's newest victim. That Lane guy."


	92. Runaway Obssession

**CHAPTER NINETY-TWO  
Runaway Obssession  
**

"Mason lied about AJ and Alexis." Sonny said, once they were back on the street. "What else did he lie about?"

"More importantly, why?" Jax answered Sonny's question with one of his own.

"How well do you know this guy? What does he have to gain from telling you a lie about Alexis?"

"We're more business associates than friends, but our paths have crossed pretty often over the last few years. I was surprised to see him show up in Port Charles. And even more surprised when he decided to stay around awhile. But then, when he started showing interest in both Carly and Alexis, I thought that explained it."

"Carly." Sonny said after a moment. "I wonder if she has anything to do with this?"

Jax turned to look at Sonny his anxiousness revealing itself in his annoyed, almost angry tone of voice. "Do you always assume the worst about Carly? No wonder she ran away."

"Do you ever take off that white hat, Jax? I never assume anything about Carly. I just know what she's capable of. You said she took off without telling you about it. Sounds like typical Carly to me. Take a situation happen that she's involved in, let it turn ugly and she takes off." Sonny paused. Something jiggled in the back of his brain just then, but he couldn't quite catch the thought

"That's one take on the situation." Jax said. "Here's another - after the words you two had down at the PCPD, maybe she was afraid of you and ran."

"I doubt that. I'm telling you, Jax; more than likely Carly has done something she shouldn't have and she's run for cover. If she was afraid of me, it was about her being afraid of _facing_ me, having to explain what scheme she's gotten herself into this time that has blown up in her face. Maybe you should check with her 'current victim'."

"Why should she run? What did you say to her at the police station? When you came to the restaurant asking me about Alexis, I saw her face and I'm telling you, Sonny - she was afraid."

"All I did was turn down her 'offer' of perpetrating the fraud of a nuclear family - with her in the starring role as the loving and devoted wife.'" Sonny's expression was one of contempt, not angry, Jax was forced to acknowledge. But old habits still died hard.

"So it's all about you, hm?" Jax asked, letting a trace of disbelief color his tone. "And Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned?"

"Hell hath no fury like Carly Benson scorned." Sonny corrected him, his expression gone serious. "Trust me, Jax." his lips twisted wryly as he realized what he'd just said to the man who'd been his straight-up adversary for so many years in so many ways. "Trust me when I tell you that you have no idea of what Carly is capable of. I do. That stunt she tried to pull down at the PCPD was nothing compared to what else she's done. And when I turned her down flat, there's no telling what went through her head. Carly doesn't stop to think when she's hurt, mad or any combination of the two. If she's hurt, she hurts back. If she's afraid, she lashes out. If she's angry, she goes out for revenge. She doesn't think, she just reacts."

"Her mother said just about the same thing." Jax was forced to agree.

"There ya go." Sonny said. "So one of our priorities is finding Carly." He reached for his cell. Sonny flipped it open and made a call. "Jason. Yeah, I'm not in my car. I'm with Jax." There was a silence while that information was being digested by the man on the other end. "Yeah, I know. Stranger things have happened; I'll explain it to you later. Right now, I need for you to find Carly. Seems like she's taken a little trip that nobody knows about. See what you can find out. And oh yeah, get somebody to check out what you can find on a Mason Lane. He's one of Alexis' clients, among other things." he said, looking at Jax meaningfully.

Sonny pocketed his phone. "So, what can you tell me about this Lane guy that I don't already know?"

"Like?"

"Like the fact that he had an interest in Alexis that went beyond business."

"Jealous?" Jax knew he shouldn't but at the same time couldn't help but ask.

"Not for a minute."

Even now, Jax couldn't help but feel a little resentment at the arrogant shake of Sonny's head. It must have shown on his face.

"Come on, Jax. Alexis is a one-man woman. Even you oughta know that by now." Sonny said. He went on, almost talking to himself. "You know, the few times me and this guy spoke, I didn't like the vibe I got off him. Like he wanted to snub me, but knew he didn't dare. At the same time, he couldn't resist showing me what he was about. A smart guy who knows he's smart. Thinks he's smarter than everyone around him. Makes him prone to want to show it off." He looked at Jax. "Am I wrong?"

Jax was forced to admit that Sonny was right about Mason. "He was interested in Carly as well as Alexis. But in Carly's case, I'm pretty sure the two of them were involved."

"Carly's missing and you said he told you he was taking a trip. Would they have snuck off to be together?"

"No, Mason wouldn't have bothered to hide a rendezvous with Carly. He never did. And after all this time, I don't think she would either. They didn't broadcast it, but they didn't go out of their way to hide the fact that they were seeing each other either." Jax said.

"If he wasn't hiding that, then just what was he hiding?"

Jax was silent for a moment, his mind racing, going over all the conversations he'd had with Mason and all that he knew about him. Personally, he only knew what Mason allowed him to know. They'd been on opposite sides of deals as well as partners in ventures at one time or the other and Jax respected him as a shrewd and hard bargainer.

As a man, Mason had never hid the fact that he liked the ladies, and the ladies indeed, liked him. Like he'd told Sonny, Mason had been interested in both Carly and Alexis and had made no attempts to hide it. But Alexis had never been interested, and now Jax knew why. It sounded like things with her and Sonny had been well underway by the time Mason had arrived in Port Charles, even if no one else had known it. Not him, not for sure, and definitely not Mason. So maybe Mason had thought Alexis was just playing a game with him.

A sudden thought chilled him. As personable as Mason could be when he wished, he was as ruthless in his business dealings as Jax could be. What if he had come to the realization that Alexis wasn't playing hard to get? What if Mason had tired of her saying no? Jax realized that he had no idea of how Mason might react.

Sonny saw Jax's expression change. He repeated the question.

"Could it be… maybe he was hiding just how much he wanted Alexis?" Jax spoke without thinking. "Maybe it went beyond wanting to ..obsession."

"And if Smart Guy is not used to hearing the word no ..." Sonny's thoughts echoed Jax's. If Mason had become obsessed with Alexis, then there was no telling what he might do to have her. He raised a sudden, stunned disbelieving gaze to Jax and was more than a little disturbed that Jax returned it with one of his own.


	93. Without A Trace

**CHAPTER NINETY-THREE  
Without A Trace**

Sonny returned to the Towers, his mind racing in a million directions as he took the elevator up to the penthouse level. Jax had gone his own way, promising to check out Mason Lane and his contacts. Sonny had agreed to concentrate on Carly. They left the time open as to when they would meet again. Sonny wanted to scream in frustration. He should have kept a closer eye on Carly after she'd made her proposition…he should have put more guards on Alexis after Stefan had been killed...he should have known something was up with that Mason character. _He should have protected Alexis better._

The elevator doors slid apart and Sonny stepped off. For a moment, he checked himself in mid-stride. Something indefinable was wrong. And then he noticed. Max was on the door; it was supposed to be Johnny's shift. But Johnny was with Alexis and he didn't know where either of them were. Or if Johnny was even still alive. If he had been able to, he would have made contact by now. And since he hadn't, then it was just more proof of how wrong things were.

Instead of letting either his guilt, anger and growing fear consume him and send him spiraling down into darkness, Sonny forced himself to channel that energy into action. He walked into his apartment, tossing his coat aside, headed for his desk and began making phone calls. He started with his own people, setting them to look into Carly's recent and not so recent moves, from her movements to her conversations and set them to check her whoever she'd been talking to – whether in person, by phone or computer. He finished with Bobbie. Doing his best not to alarm her, he called her under the pretense of checking in on Michael. He hated doing it, but Sonny insinuated that he already knew about Carly's leaving, drew her into conversation about her whereabouts and her relationship with Mason. Bobbie was all too happy to fill him in on both.

"She's been so excited since she's had the club and working with Jax of all people." Bobbie hesitated. "…. and her new friend, this Mason, has certainly been attentive enough. It keeps her busy. Sonny, you can't imagine how could I feel about seeing her bouncing back after everything she's been through."

"So Carly has been okay? Everything has been all right with her?"

"Since we found out she survived that car crash? Well, Carly will be Carly, there's no point in denying that. But Sonny, she really seems to be trying to make a new life for herself"

Sonny wished that he could believe that. He didn't have proof, but something inside him was telling him that Carly was somehow involved in whatever had caused Alexis' disappearance. He just had to figure out the what and the why of it all. Bobbie didn't know anything beyond what Carly had told her. Jax had told him that he had seen fear in Carly's face the last time he'd seen her. But added to that, it was he, Carly and Mason that had been in the room.

His silence worried Bobbie, her voice took on a tone of concern. "Is there something else going on?"

Sonny didn't want Bobbie worrying and he wasn't ready to share his suspicions, so he lied; feeling the taste of it like ashes in his mouth. "No, just checking in on Michael, like I said."

After a few more minutes f conversation, Bobbie called Michael to the phone and Sonny spent a little while chatting happily with his son. It occurred to him that Michael might know something about Mason and Carly. "So, Bobbie tells me that your mom has a new friend." He asked.

"Yeah, Dad. His name is Mason. He's okay. He knows lots of stuff, though."

"Smart guy, huh?" Sonny did his best to keep his voice normal.

Michael was impressed with the guy. Mason must have went out of his way to make himself appealing to his son. Sonny's guts churned at the thought; but he forced himself to listen carefully.

"We hung out a couple of times. We went on a boat ride on the lake a couple of times, and we even went exploring. Kinda like hiking, caves and stuff."

"Sounds like quite a guy."

As careful as Sonny had tried to be, some part of his anger must have came through in his voice. "Dad?" Michael's voice was instantly apologetic. "Did I do something wrong? I didn't meant to, honest. He seems to really like Mom, so I figured that's why he was being nice to me. He made her laugh a lot so I kinda liked him for that. That was okay, wasn't it?"

"Of course it was." Sonny quickly reassured his son. "Just because your mother and I aren't together anymore doesn't mean I don't want to see her - or you - happy. I just want to know about him a little. Anybody that's going to be around my son, I got to check him out – make sure he's good enough. You know what I'm saying?" Sonny forced a laugh into his voice. "Where did you and this Mason guy hang out at? Was it his boat?"

"Yeah, Dad, I know what you mean. You're just looking out for me and mom. That's cool. We hung out on his boat, only he told me that I should call it was a yacht, not a boat. And it's name was The Silver Queen. The name was painted on the side, just like you see on TV, but it was in another language; I couldn't read it, but he could."

Sonny talked to his son for a few more minutes before he hung up. He turned back to the papers spread out across the desk. There was something there he was missing. He went through them again... and found himself staring at the list of phone numbers Several of them were identical, coming from area codes he didn't recognize right away. He called out to Max and gave him the list, instructing him to get the area codes and find the locations of the phone call.

As the door closed behind the bodyguard, Sonny paced the floor in frustration. Something about that list was screaming out to him, but he couldn't put a name to it. Except for one thing that stood out in his mind; it was time to face facts. He'd never really bought Carly's story about the car crash; about her not remembering anything that led up to it. But he'd refused to look too close. And why? Face it, he told himself. It was because of the guilt he'd felt. Carly had walked in on him and Alexis. It was his actions that had driven her off the road and into the cold dark waters.

Jason had tried to tell him something once about the time she'd gone missing, but he'd told him forget it. Carly was back safe and sound and that was all that had mattered. But she hadn't changed one bit. Still the same old Carly, full of schemes and plans to get her own way. What if all of this had been tied together somehow? Then it was his fault that Alexis was missing now.

Sonny went to his window and stared out over the Port Charles skyline. _Alexis, honey, where are you? Why don't you call? Why can't you?_

* * *

Jax didn't know what led him back to Club 101 but he was in the habit of following his instincts no matter how simple they seemed to be. Two hours later, he sat his phone receiver back in its cradle after what must have been his tenth call and sat back, closing his eyes and rubbing at them with one hand. So far, his contacts could find nothing concerning Mason's current whereabouts. Mason hadn't been listed on any commercial flights out of Port Charles; so then Jax had turned to private chartered flights. On his third try of that list, he'd managed to confirm that Mason had a plane on retainer stand-by notice, but they wouldn't divulge any other information than that.

He'd have to turn to Sonny; Jax laughed aloud with ironic anger. He would have to have Sonny have one of his men "lean" on someone for information. But for Alexis, Jax knew he wouldn't hesitate to use any mean necessary to find her. A part of him still hoped that they were over-reacting and that there was a logical reason for Alexis to be temporarily unreachable; something that would resolve itself in the next phone call, the next knock on the door. But at the same time, he knew that he was lying to himself.

Jax stood up and wandered around the office, letting his gaze wander around the room while he let his mind decide where he should direct his energies next. It was his way; to let his mind self-engage and sort out the solutions to his problems independently. His eyes went back to the desk and found the picture of Carly and her son that she'd put there the first day Carly had started work here. He looked down at a smiling Carly and Michael. A part of mind started replaying Sonny's words. Could Carly really have been involved in Alexis' disappearance? The wheels spinning in his head suddenly clicked onto a sudden unwelcome thought. Maybe Mason had used her, maybe that's why he'd been romancing Carly to begin with. It might have been a trick all along, a means to an end to get to the real object of his desire. What if Carly's disappearance was just as much a result of Mason's plans that Alexis' appeared to be?

Jax started jerking open the desk drawers, throwing their contents onto the desk, looking for something, anything, that might give him a clue as to where Carly might have gone. Or been taken. _Carly, where the hell are you?_


	94. Miracles In The Midst of Tears

**CHAPTER NINETY-FOUR  
Miracles In the Midst of Tears**

It was late in the afternoon, at least two hours past lunchtime and Helena had had Alexis brought into her presence in one of the small dining rooms overlooking the lee side of island. She motioned for the guards to escort Alexis to a seat opposite her and had the servants hovering nearby prepare her a plate of food before she dismissed them all from the room, leaving her and Alexis alone..

"Sit. Eat. My people tell me that they brought you a tray earlier, but it went untouched. That won't do at all, Alexis. I have no intention of enduring the sight of you haggard and starving."

"How do you expect me to eat, Helena." Alexis said quietly. She glanced out the window, anything to keep her from having to look at the other woman.

Helena shrugged. "Did you and Stefan have a nice visit?"

Those words sent Alexis back, reliving the past two hours all over again.

_flashback_

Released from the guards grip, Alexis ran to Stefan's side, her eyes running over him. She could see the signs of malnutrition in him; his glazed eyes spoke volumes about his semi-conscious state. She turned from her position sitting at his bedside. "Helena, this is barbaric – even for you. If you were going to kill him, then you should have just done it." She gestured towards Stefan, who shivered and murmured incoherently, gasping for breath, caught in a drug-induced nightmare. He'd been like this since Helena had closed the door on them. She'd made an object lesson of Stefan. While Alexis had been forced to stand by helplessly, she'd gone to her son's side and prepared a syringe, smiling at Alexis the whole time.

"There, there, my golden-hair angel." She'd murmured, turning back to Stefan. "Mother has just what you need, doesn't she?"

She lifted one am from beneath the blanket and Alexis had been horrified to see a series of needle marks on his inner forearm.

In spite of herself, Alexis cried out, fighting uselessly against the guards' grip on her arms, aware of the anguish in her voice and for the moment, not caring at all that Helena had won, had cracked the veneer of bravery as easily as cracking an eggshell. Nothing matter except that Stefan was alive, and Helena was putting him through the hell of a living death. "Helena, in God's name, why?" she screamed at her.

Helena didn't answer her at first, she had been too busy injecting Stefan with some colorless solution. Stefan's eyes opened briefly at the prick of the needle. They tried to focus on Helena, and then as Alexis cried out, his gaze wavered in her direction. But the effort was too much. Alexis struggled in the guards' hands and watched in horror as his gaze blurred and then his eyes rolled upwards into his head.

Alexis stepped forward, only to be stopped by the grip on her arms. Her voice was raw with pain. "Why!" she asked again, her voice a cracked agonized whisper.

Helena trailed her fingers across Stefan's face in a caress that was obscene in its gentleness. "I prefer him this way. Docile – and mostly silent. I am almost reminded of when he was a babe, before he became such a disappointment to me. I had such plans for my sons, the both of them. It was unfortunate that Stefan chose to stand against me."

She stood and faced Alexis. "A mistake you were a very willing participant in." Helena told her in a suddenly cold voice. She turned and nodded to the guards; at her unspoken command they released their hold. Alexis rushed to Stefan's side and knelt beside him. Her hands trembled as she reached out; she touched his face, his hands, again and again as though to reassure herself that indeed he was alive. She thanked God for small mercies; Stefan's trembling had stopped and his breathing had slowed.

Her eyes, when she turned them back to Helena, were bright with hate. "Is this my fate as well?"

"Perhaps. But why waste what time you have with your beloved brother worrying about things over which you really have no control?" Helena glanced at her watch. "I have a few errands to run, so I'll leave you two to enjoy one another's company. Won't that be nice?" She laughed at Alexis, the pleasure of her cruelty all too evident in her voice before turning and walking out.

Alexis was left to stare at the door as Helena and the guards left. The door closed behind them and Alexis heard the lock being bolted behind them. It echoed in the sudden silence. Alone, except for Stefan insensible beside her, her old fears and worries bowed her head. Desolate and unable to remember a time when she'd felt more lonely, Alexis wrapped her arms around herself, shivering despite all of her brave words. Alexis could not remember a time when she'd felt more helpless. Despair threatened to overwhelm her, and for a moment, she was defenseless before its onslaught.

After a time, Alexis tried to regain some of her strength; she had turned to Stefan, determined to make him as comfortable as she could. She tore a piece of cloth from the bed sheets and tried to use it as a facecloth, wiping the sweat from Stefan's fevered brow. The initial joy she'd felt at discovering he was alive had quickly fled from her as she realized the full extent of what Helena had done to her youngest son.

It had been another hour before Stefan roused to anything resembling comprehension. At last, his eyes had opened, and focused on her; for a moment, Alexis' heart leapt in her chest in relief. But all too soon, it became clear that he was not trusting his eyes. "You've come to visit me again, Natasha? I wish I could say I am glad to see you, little one, but I am not. I do not wish to see you here…but you're only here in my dreams… "

Alexis' heart broke, and tears welled up in her eyes. She snatched up Stefan's hand and held it to her. "Stefan…" she sobbed aloud. "I'm here, I'm really here… oh, Stefan…" she dissolved into incoherent sobs.

Maybe it was the sensation of her tears, hot and wet on his skin, but Stefan roused suddenly, his eyes fixing on hers with a sudden fierce intensity. His voice strengthened as his hand tightened in hers. "I know you, Alexis…don't cry, oh Ninochkha, don't cry..it will be all right…"

And this was the scene that Helena walked back in on. She looked down on Stefan with an indifference that chilled Alexis all over again.

"Did you and Stefan have a nice visit?" Helena smiled again. The smile of Alexis' childhood, the one that never reached her eyes.

At the sound of her voice, Stefan's entire body had stiffened, and then his voice dropped into an unintelligible rambling. And then they had taken her away.

_end flashback_

Alexis became aware of Helena carefully examining her face, and knew it to be still marked with the tracks of her tears. "I can see that it must have been quite the emotional reunion."

"What do you want , Helena? What do I have to do to get you to take Stefan out of there? What do I have to do to stop you from killing him by inch by torturous inch? Do I have to beg? Is that what you want to see?" Alexis had already determined that she would do anything, promise anything, if only Helena would stop drugging Stefan. Today. Now. She trembled and to her own horror, felt the tears rising up in her again.

"I'll beg for his life, Helena. How do you want it? On my knees?" She took a deep breath, prepared to do anything to save Stefan from Helena's murderous acts.

Alexis slipped from her chair and onto her knees, not caring that perhaps she'd given Helena her greatest triumph over her yet. Helena stood, took her by the arm and drew her upwards to stand before her.

Alexis stared at her, numb with the sudden incomprehension. Her emotions reeled wildly. Relief that Stefan was alive, hate for the woman who's action had reduced him to this, terror of her suddenly uncertain future, desperation to do what she could for her brother and herself, all of these feelings stormed uncontrollably through her. And now with confusion tossed into the mix Alexis was totally lost. The nightmares of her childhood had come back to life – Helena held the power of life and death in the palm of her hand.

Alexis looked up at her, prepared to do more, do anything at all if it released Stefan from this hell. She expected to see satisfaction in Helena's gaze and was stunned into immobility when she did not. Wouldn't her bowing down before Helena give the woman pleasure?

All of these conflicting emotions were too much for Alexis. Her body trembled and she found herself suddenly struggling against the burn of another onslaught of fresh tears threatening her. Under the onslaught of fear and confusion and sheer uncontrollable emotion, she lost the battle decisively.

Only now did Helena smile. "I think we can both agree that you're undeserving of my good will, but I will grant it, nonetheless. I will arrange for more – suitable - quarters for Stefan, and allow you to share them for the foreseeable future. Before you thank me overmuch, be aware that this might change if the situation warrants it."

Stunned at her actions, Alexis could barely find her voice. "Wh—why?" Alexis finally managed to ask.

"In my absence, I was busy – tying up a few loose ends, I believe the phrase to be. I'll admit it, my initial plans were to hold you as I have held Stefan; I need leverage to bend my darling Nikolas to my will and I thought your well being would be the coin to buy Nikolas' obedience. Stefan is to be used as a last resort. But in order to avoid any undue and troublesome medical complications, I needed access to your medical records. Luckily for me – and for you, as it turns out – you made my job easy. As a result of your latest doctor's visit, I find myself in the awkward and rather unique position of caring for your continued well-being." As Alexis continued to stare at her in total incomprehension, Helena smiled again. This time it did reach her eyes.

"Don't think about the tears, my dear. It's not the weakness you think it is… only hormones. The bane of womanhood, that's what the curse of motherhood is, when despite what intelligence and intellect we possess, our minds become slaves to the body."

Weakness.. hormones…motherhood…Slowly Helena's words began to penetrate into Alexis' newly stunned mind and her eyes suddenly widened in shock. Could it be?….

"Yes, my dear. It seems my plans must change again, and this is something you might be glad of. It appears I have had to change my plans, after all, I've no wish to bring harm to the next heir to the House of Cassadine."

Instinctively, Alexis glanced down to her abdomen even as her hand flew up to touch it protectively. Helena noticed the gesture and smiled again.

"It's perplexing, I admit, a bastard Cassadine bearing a bastard Cassadine, but in the end, blood is blood after all, and that is all that matters. Fortunately for you."


	95. Unlikely Allies

**CHAPTER NINETY FIVE  
Unlikely Allies**

A door closed behind her. True to her word, Alexis had waited for that sound before removing the blindfold. It had been a part of her agreement with Helena. Stefan would be removed from his subterranean chamber to better quarters, which she would be allowed to share.

Slipping the cloth from her eyes, she looked around. This was no suite she remembered seeing in Windermere. But since she knew that they hadn't left the island, Alexis realized that this must be a hidden suite, secreted somewhere in the warrens and passages that she knew Helena knew all too well. Who would ever find them now? She thought to herself with a new sense of despair.

Dwelling on that wouldn't help matters. She had to concentrate on the here and now. One thing at a time she told herself bravely. She'd gotten Stefan out of the caves, and she would see to it that he got better. And after that, well, she'd worry about tomorrow - tomorrow.

It was a bargain made with a silver-haired devil, Alexis thought. But for Stefan's life, she'd do it again, without a second thought. She stood up and began to explore their quarters; Alexis had been deposited in a small sitting room. The room was comfortably furnished, a far step above the bare cave walls where she'd seen Stefan. Just inside the door a serving cart had been left, with the delicious smell of a variety of foods coming from several covered dishes, along with a large assortment of fruits and drinks. From there, she looked around. On the opposite wall, there were two doors; their bedrooms, she supposed. She stood and opened one door. It led to her bedroom. But most important was the door set in one wall that led directly to the other bedroom.

Alexis hurried to it. And there, to her immense relief, she saw Stefan, asleep in his bed. Helena had promised to reduce his amount of medications. "Reduced, my dear, not halted. It wouldn't do to send him into complete abstinence all at once." she had told Alexis. Alexis had been forced to agree that cutting off the drugs so suddenly might be too much to Stefan's already compromised system.

Alexis went to Stefan's side; he was sleeping now. Alexis supposed that it was only her imagination, but to her eyes, he seemed to be resting easier already. more at peace. There was a chair placed solicitously by his bed. The relief pouring through her made her weak in the knees and she sank gratefully into it.

The chair was very soft and very plush and no doubt put there as everything had been, for her comfort. Helena had made a great to-do about keeping Alexis happy physically as well as mentally, for the health of the baby, of course.

A baby. Alexis still had to come to grips with that. _Sonny and I are having a baby._ She thought with a sense of wonderment. She had never even given thought to bringing children into the world. But how else, but a child conceived in … love. If she had ever questioned the depth of her feelings for Sonny before, there was no doubt any longer. Alexis placed both hands on her abdomen, as though to caress the miracle that was growing within her. But now, would Sonny ever even get the chance to know of the life they had created?

"Oh, Little One," she murmured. "Let Daddy come and find us soon…" She leaned her head back and closed her eyes. All of a sudden, the memory of her leaning her head on Sonny's shoulder came back to her, and that sense of comfort came back as though he were there with her. Just for a moment, she could feel his presence, her hand held in his once more.

* * *

Sonny sat back in the limo and closed his eyes briefly. He exhaled slowly. He could almost sense Alexis' presence in the seat besides him, almost smell the scent of her. Unexpectedly, he was remembering the night they had come back from the Caribbean, when Alexis had fallen asleep, when her head had rested on his shoulder and all he could remember was the fragrance and the silkiness of her hair and the feel of her slender fingers as they had slipped trustingly into his. Without opening his eyes, Sonny could see hers, soft and luminous as they looked at him. How beautiful she'd looked as she'd awakened when they'd gotten home.

Home. His penthouse was so empty now without her. His life was so empty without her. When he caught up with Mason Lane, he was going to regret that he ever dared to so much as glance at Alexis.

The limo slowed and came to a stop. Sonny opened his eyes and waited. Five minutes later, the door opened and Jax slid in and took the seat opposite him. He nodded sharply to Sonny in greeting.

"So? Have you found out anything?" Sonny asked.

"Have you?" Jax countered. Without waiting for Sonny to answer, Jax pulled his briefcase across his lap and opened it. "Mason Lane has dropped out of sight. I think it's safe to say that it's no coincidence. The last time we spoke, he told me that he was heading to NYC But he didn't take any commercial flights out and I can't find any private chartered flights that can verify that he took one of them out of Port Charles."

Sonny pulled out his own set of papers. "I've gotten a hold of Carly's phone records. There are some numbers that go out of town, but I'm thinking they're business calls." He handed Jax the list.

Jax looked them over. "Some of these I can vouch for, some of them I don't recognize either." He pulled out a pen and started marking out the phone numbers he recognized. "Why are you so sure that Carly is a willing participant in all of this?"

"Because I haven't got a reason to think otherwise."

"I know you say that Carly can come up with plans, but kidnapping?" Jax shook his head. "I just can't believe that." He looked up from the lists. "What if she was forced into this? What if Mason is behind that too?"

Before Sonny could answer him, his phone rang. He was not expecting the voice on the other end of the line.

"We've got business to discuss."

"Luke?"

"The one and only. How soon can you get yourself over to the Haunted Star?"

"Now is not a good time."

"Now never is." Luke said. "This is something that needs to go on your high priority list."

"I already got enough stuff there, Luke." Sonny told him. Like he needed reminding of his priorities at the moment. Jax sitting across from him was proof positive of that. "I'm very busy."

"Aren't we all? But this is a deal I'm sure you need to get in on. You owe me a listen for old times sake, if nothing else."

Sonny tensed. How dare Luke call him up out of the blue and lay that on him. Sonny was torn between cursing the man or just hanging up on him without another word. But Luke's next words stunned him into a momentary silence.

"What say we sit down over some coffee and some Russian vodka and talk it over? "

"Coffee and…"

"You heard me the first time." Luke spoke before Sonny could repeat himself. "We've got business to discuss…hold on…"

There were some other noises coming from Luke's phone. Sonny barely registered them, his mind whirling with implications; Luke's words had set of alarm bells in his soul. While he sat, speechless, there was sounds Sonny couldn't quite recognize coming from the other end of the phone. He heard voices in the background, a quick exchange, then Luke came back on. "Ah, your partner just arrived. He agrees with me; I suggest you talk this over with him. But don't take too long. Time is of the essence."

"What's going on?" Sonny said as soon as he heard Jason on the phone.

"Sonny, Luke is right. This is something that we need to get in on. How soon can you get here?"

"Are you serious?..." Sonny began but for the second time in the last few minutes was cut off.

"You know I am. Trust me when I tell you that."

Of course, Sonny trusted Jason. He trusted him with his life. And if Jason was with Luke, then it was somewhere Sonny needed to be. Without any more arguments, Sonny agreed to the meet.

"What's going on?" Jax asked. Sonny had flipped his cell phone closed and was staring at it silently, trying to calculate what was going on in Spencer's head.

"I'm going to see Luke." Sonny said. He related the strange phone call.

"We're going to see Luke." Jax corrected him. "Russian vodka? Luke knows something."

Afraid to hope, Sonny had been thinking the same thing. If there was a chance that he knew anything, then Sonny had to take it. "Were you seen coming here?"

"I tried not to be."

"Then let's meet up at the Haunted Star the same way."


	96. A Gathering of Eagles

**CHAPTER NINETY-SIX  
A Gathering of Eagles**

After Jax had left, Sonny directed Max to the docks. He took his briefcase and walked onto the gambling boat, going straight to the bar. After ordering a shot of scotch, he asked for Luke. The bartender said he'd send word that Sonny had arrived.

There had been a time when the two men had been closer, had partnered in several endeavors and used one another's resources. But since Lucky's supposed death, a gulf had sprung up between them, one that had never really been healed, even when it had been proved that Sonny's business had had nothing to do with his disappearance. Their lives had gone in different directions and that had been that.

Sonny stared down into his glass, thinking. He wondered if their separation had happened because somewhere deep inside, he'd been jealous of Luke. He'd found the love of his life, had had children, raised a family with her. Something Sonny had never quite managed to achieve. He and Lily had never had a chance; and Carly's lies and deceptions had kept them from making the life Sonny had always dreamed of. And even though he loved Michael as though he were his own flesh and blood and always would, the truth was, he wasn't his son. One day, Michael would ask about his birth-father. He might even choose to seek him out. If he were ever given another chance to father a child of his own...there were so many things in his life he would change...

Before he could dwell on those thoughts any longer, Luke appeared. The two men looked each over warily as he approached. Luke came to stand before him. "It's been awhile, Sonny."

"Yeah, it has been, so let's get to it. You said you had some important business to discuss?"

Luke nodded. Then his gaze went past Sonny. "Uh oh..trouble approaching at twelve o'clock."

Sonny glanced in the direction of Luke's gaze and saw Jax entering the casino. Jax saw them at the same time, turned and headed in their direction.

"He's no trouble. Not tonight, anyways."

Luke looked sharply from Sonny to Jax and back to Sonny again. "You sure about that?"

Sonny nodded. "Yeah, he's in on the deal." He ignored the incredulous look Luke shot his way.

By this time, Jax had come up to them. Luke looked him over, one eyebrow raising in subtle amusement. "Has Hell frozen over?" he asked amiably. "Or am I just imagining all of this?" The way that both Jax and Sonny were looking at him didn't seem to faze him at all.

"You said we have business?" Sonny reminded him.

Luke's expression changed and was instantly all business. "Indeed we do. Is he involved?" When Sonny nodded, he turned to Jax. "You sure you want in? Can your reputation stand being seen in my company?"

"I can stand it if you can. And I do business with whomever can deliver the goods."

"I'm thinking the same." Luke snagged a bottle of Stoli from behind the bar. "Are you into Russian vodka these days?"

"Very much so."

"Sonny, follow me. Jax, wait a minute or two and I'll have you shown in. Can't have your white knight syndrome rubbing off on me – I tarnish real easy. It may not matter to you, but I DO have a reputation to maintain."

Sonny followed Luke from the casino area to his private offices. They walked in and Luke went to his desk. He pulled out two glasses and began opening the vodka bottle. "I think we're both going to need a drink."

"Forget the drink, I've waited long enough. What's going on, Luke?.. " he started to demand but his voice trailed off into stunned nothingness as another door opened.

"Boss-man…" Johnny limped through the doorway, leaning heavily on Jason. He was looking pretty bad. Sonny's heart clenched in his chest. Johnny had taken a bad beating. And it looked like it had been done by professionals. His face was barely touched, just a bruise on one cheek and a split lip, but the way he moved told Sonny that his body was in serious pain. He watched as Jason helped Johnny to a seat on the small sofa that was against the wall and to the left of Luke's desk. Johnny's face grimaced in obvious hurt as he lowered himself down.

"Are you okay?" Sonny asked, his voice tight with tension..

"I'm okay." Johnny answered; he nodded and winced again as a fresh wave of hurt shot through him at the motion.

"What happened? What happened to you and Alexis?"

Before Johnny could answer, a knock sounded at the door. Luke answered it and let Jax in. He looked around the room, then his eyes fixed on Johnny. "What is he doing here?"

"He was watching over Alexis." Sonny began to explain but Jax interrupted him.

"Was? What happened." he took an angry step towards Johnny. "Where is she? Why didn't you do your job!"

"He was doing his job!" Sonny snapped at Jax as he jerked at his arm. "Shut up and take a good look at him and then tell him that he wasn't doing his job!"

Jax shut up and looked at Johnny closer, seeing his bruises and his pain-filled expression for the first time. "Oh my God.." he murmured. His sudden anger drained out of him as quickly as it had come on him, leaving weakness and fear in its place. He closed his eyes and leaned against the wall. "Alexis…."

"He took a pretty bad beating, but still managed to get away from where he was being held and swim back to the mainland trying to get help. Does that prove he was doing his job good enough for you?" Jason looked at Jax for a long moment, his bright blue eyes hard.

He turned back to Sonny. "I had one of our doctors come in and give him a once-over. He has a concussion, two cracked ribs and a lot of bruising across his abdomen. The doctor recommended that he check into a hospital so that they can check for internal or deep tissue injuries with an MRI but Johnny refuses to go."

"Not until we get Ms. Davis back. I'm okay; just some pretty good shots to the guts and the ribs. If it was worse, I'd know it." Johnny insisted. He looked at Sonny. "It was Lane. His guys came out of nowhere. Took me down after I had moved away to give Carly and Alexis some privacy... I...I should have never left her alone." His eyes hardened. "Carly..she set the whole thing up."

"Carly?" Jax said unbelievingly.

"What does Carly have to do with this?" Sonny asked at the same time.

"She called Ms. Da – Alexis while we were still out at Windermere." Johnny explained. "And she was waiting for us when we docked. She had something on her mind, and it looked like she was looking for a fight. For some reason, seeing me only made her madder. She wanted to talk in private. Alexis agreed to it, so I took a few steps away. I didn't count on walking into an ambush."

"I can't believe Carly hated Alexis so much that she'd go so far." Jax said quietly, stunned by this information.

Sonny looked at him. "You didn't believe Carly was involved at all. What made you change your mind?"

Jax reluctantly pulled a sheaf of papers out of his coat's inside pocket. "I didn't get the chance to tell you earlier, but I have some information on the computer phishing that put you in jail." He told Sonny. "The phishing originated from the IP on Carly's computer."

"And yet you want to keep on playing cheerleader?" Luke asked.

Jax shook his head. "That Carly hates Alexis, I can buy that; they were never the best of friends and I know she has her own reasons for hating Alexis these days." Here Jax shot a meaningful glance at Sonny, one that did not go unnoticed by anyone else in the room. "But I find it hard to believe that Carly would go so far as to kidnap Alexis to get rid of her."

"Carly has reason to hate Alexis these days? I know she's never cared for your lawyer, and I can guess that Alexis is the one who drew up your divorce papers, so I can see why Alexis was not one of Carly's favorite people, but the divorce has been a done deal for a little while now, so what's with the hate these days in particular?" Luke asked. He looked from Sonny to Jax and back to Sonny again, watching as neither man answered. After a long minute, his gaze narrowed in sudden comprehension..

"Oh. I see. Hmmm...We Spencers are a resourceful bunch when we put our minds to something." Luke said sarcastically. "But even though I wouldn't have guessed Carly to be so desperate as to make such a move, the evidence is pointing in her direction. Is this a case of hell hath no fury like a woman scorned?"

Sonny didn't answer, but returned Luke's questioning gaze with a stony look..

Luke studied his face for a minute then shrugged. "At least your taste in women has improved, Sonny. I'll give you that. Form and function combined in a long-legged package. Not bad at all, Corinthos."

"Whatever Luke. But bringing in men to take out Johnny?" Sonny thought out loud. "That's not Carly. Where would she get the muscle from?"

"But what about the phishing stuff from Carly's computer?" Luke asked. He was clearly playing devil's advocate. "Maybe she hired the muscle the same way. Or at least found them."

"It doesn't necessarily mean it was her. Think it through." Jax said. "That computer is in the office of a popular nightclub. People coming and going all hours of the day and night with supposedly nothing else on their mind but having a good time. Staff, guests, anyone besides Carly could have gotten access to her system. If it hasn't been phished from another remote location. Carly could have been set up so thoroughly she never knew what hit her until it was too late."

"And that's why she's disappeared?" Sonny asked.

"Well, who would believe her if she declared her innocence? Her ex-husband? Her loving uncle?" Jax's eyes swept over them with barely concealed disdain. "Maybe she found out too late to do anything about it and ran."

"I don't know, Jax." Luke said. "I never claimed that we Spencers were law-abiding citizens. Maybe the thought of Sonny and Alexis drove Caroline over the edge. I could tell you stories about her momma…." Luke caught himself and shut up. "Why are you so sure my little niece hasn't been caught with her hand in the cookie job on this one?"

"Because in spite of everything that I've heard that Carly has done in the past, kidnappings and physical attacks takes things to a whole new level, wouldn't you say?" Jax answered. "I'm not so quick as some to think the absolute worse of her."

He looked at Johnny. :Are you sure Carly was in on this? Did she say anything that implicated herself?"

They all turned back to Johnny. His eyes were burning bright with anger as he took in what Jax had told them. But then he closed his eyes, and thought to himself for a moment. He opened his eyes and looked at them. "I have to tell the truth; I don't know one hundred percent if she did or didn't have anything to do with it. Sonny, you know me. I would never steer you wrong. So no matter what I think, all I know is that she made the phone call that put Alexis and me on the docks. And I know how much Carly hates her. And then she played me so that I left the two of them alone for a so-called private conversation. But one thing for sure, that Lane guy definitely is in on it. It was his guys that came up behind me and took me out- they beat me so bad I almost lost consciousness... but I knew they were after Ms. Davis." he looked at Sonny and he struggled to keep his composure. "I fought back, Boss, I did..."

Sonny saw the guilt in Johnny's face, heard the pain in his voice and knew it was groundless. He shared his sense of helplessness and rage, but knew the bodyguard had done all that he'd been able to. Sonny did his best to reassure his man that he didn't hold anything against him. Sonny moved and knelt before him, reached out and laid a comforting hand on Johnny's shoulder. "I know you did, Johnny, I know you did everything you could."

Johnny looked unconvinced but continued his story. "... . I figured that I'd play along with being totally out of it so I could get back to Alexis and see what I could do to get us free. So when they thought I was out, they dragged me back onboard the boat. That Lane guy was there and he was standing too close to her; I couldn't take the chance that he wouldn't hurt Alexis if I tried anything. They took me below until we got back to the island. We got off the boat and they took us inside, but when she realized that he was going to take us down into the basement, she started to fight back."

He looked into Sonny's eyes. "I never saw Ms. Davis look so scared. They didn't hurt her, but then his guys really went to work on me." Johnny paused and swallowed heavily and his eyes were suddenly haunted. "I could hear her begging for my life. Every time they hit me, she begged Lane to have them stop. I kept hearing her beg, even after they separated us and threw me into a cell alone, all I could do is hear Alexis' voice, begging for mercy...for me..."

Johnny tried to go on but couldn't, obviously overcome by his own words. After a long silence, he spoke again and they could all hear the naked anguish in his voice. "I know why Alexis was so scared – they took me down through some tunnels. She must have known they were there…. She told them she'd do anything they wanted if they would just …stop hurting me." His voice dropped as he spoke and his last words were forced out in a strained whisper. He fell silent; it was obvious he couldn't speak anymore. Luke splashed some liquor in a glass and handed it to him. Johnny's hands shook as he raised the glass to his lips and downed it in a single swallow. He hung his head, unable to continue.

"That was the last time Johnny saw her." Jason finished the story for him.

"So how did you get involved?" Sonny asked Luke.

"Hey, I was minding my business on the Star, out for a midnight walk and lo and behold, I see a little something moving in the water. You owe me a serious dry cleaning bill, by the way." he said conversationally to Sonny before continuing his story.

"So I go fishing and came up with an interesting catch. Johnny was half out of it, but he does mention Alexis' name and something about not being able to protect her. Now I don't know - didn't know what was gong on, but I do know how to keep my mouth shut. Never trust the airways... they're way too easy to infiltrate; and I oughta know. I got Johnny to my private quarters without being seen and then I decided to take a walk on the dock while I figured out what my next move should be. I ran into your junior partner, there." Luke nodded towards Jason. "..told him what was up and we agreed that we should play this close and quiet and lay low. He had Johnny looked after and I called you. Sorry to have been so cryptic, but in case your phones were tapped, I didn't want to tip our hand."

"Our?"

Luke shrugged. "What can I tell you? Despite the family connection, Natasha, unlike the rest of the bloodsuckers, is the warm fuzzy Cassadine; I've always had a soft spot in my heart for her. It sounds like she's in trouble. Major trouble, if you and the Aussie are keeping company. Whatever's going down, I want in."


	97. Chapter 97

CHAPTER NINETY SEVEN 

After Luke's pronouncement, the room was quiet while they all digested the information Johnny had given them. And it was Luke who finally broke the silence.

"Jax, you might be right about one thing." he said "This was not one of Carly's plans." All eyes shot to him as he made this announcement. He went on to explain. "There's no way Carly ever knew anything about the tunnels underneath Windermere. The question is, how did Lane?"

"Alexis never mentioned those tunnels to me." Sonny said.

"As far as I know, she's never had motive or opportunity to use them. A pretty straight-arrow gal – our Natasha. For a Cassadine, that is. But I'm pretty sure she knew about them...that's why she fought so hard once she realized where Mason was taking them. There's more than tunnels down there, there are cells and hidden passageways and all sorts of goodies for the baddies - if you know where to look. And since it sounds like Johnny got himself tossed into one, it's pretty obvious that this Lane character definitely knew about them."

"Lane knew." Sonny said. "So what else does he know and for how long has he known it?" His voice went still and quiet, but was laced with steely anger. He looked at Jax. "That day I came to see you about Alexis and the Cassadines, you said Carly was terrified. You thought she was afraid of me. But what if it wasn't me she was afraid of?"

"Mason got there right before you did." Jax picked up the path Sonny's thoughts were taking and moved on it. "But before either of you showed up, I found her in the office alone."

Jax closed his eyes briefly as the memory came to mind. "Carly looked rattled. Something was on her mind and they weren't good thoughts. I remember now, I couldn't help it; I felt sorry for her without even knowing why. I hadn't seen her like that before. She actually tried to warn me about herself, that she did bad things, and I had no real idea of what she was capable of. I told her she could trust me...and she could," Jax said with a challenging look at Sonny, who had leaned back and was regarding Jax with something close to distrust. Jax felt his own temper begin to flare. How dare Sonny, after everything that had happened between them tonight…. For Alexis' sake he fought his anger down and won and went on with his story. "I told her everything she touched didn't turn to ashes, even if she thought so. She's no angel, but I'd bet she was going to tell me what was on her mind…she was just about to open her mouth and tell me, and then Mason arrived."

Jax swore and slammed a fist into the nearest wall. 'If only she had told me sooner! All of this might never have happened." He raised his gaze back to Sonny. "If she hadn't been made to feel so helpless…so useless… " He couldn't help the anger rising in him, he felt his body tensing and the bitterness creeping into his voice; he couldn't help that either, any more than Sonny could help his own fury from sparking from the barely veiled accusations in Jax's words.

"There's no time for this." Luke said before Sonny could answer Jax. "Focus, man. What else happened?"

Jax could see Carly's face before him. There had been fear in her eyes – and it hadn't been there until Mason had announced Sonny's immanent arrival. Or had it been? What if it had been Mason's appearance that had scared Carly instead? With his own long-standing bias towards the man standing in front of him, he'd been so sure that it had been Sonny that had scared Carly. But…it might have been – could have been - Mason. His next words admitted as much.

"A few minutes after Mason got there, you did. I thought Carly was afraid because Mason had told us that you were coming. If she wasn't scared of you...then she was afraid of him. He asked her if she'd been expecting you. And that's when she got scared." Jax swore again softly. "And I left her alone with him. I gave him all the time he needed to frighten her - and more."

"Right after that, Carly disappeared, even though we didn't know it. Besides Mason, we know she was with Alexis. And now they are both gone." Sonny said. "Mason's our man."

"So the question is, how did he know about those tunnels? That's a Cassadine family secret." Luke stopped in mid-thought. "Who does Mason know? Is there anyway we can find out who's he been talking too?"

Sonny pulled out the information he had on Mason. I have his phone records. And Jax has Carly's"

"Haven't the two of you been the busy little beavers. Excellent." Luke said. He took the two lists and went to his desk, opening his laptop. He began entering the numbers, explaining what he was doing at the same time. He'd had a program designed, especially for him, by a "sweet lil' computer hacker" he knew, that would consolidate the two lists and flag any matches and pinpoint the phone calls by area code.

Luke set the program to working and sat back. "The question is, what does Lane want with Alexis? Is it the most obvious one?"

Sonny nodded sharply. "We think he may have developed some sort of obsession with Alexis."

Luke shot a quick glance from Jax to Sonny. "Do _we_?" He shook his head. "Obsessions are never a good thing. Reminds me of Stavros and his obsession over Laura." His eyes misted over for a moment as he spoke her name, then hardened with the memories. "Needed killing to get rid of him."

"That's an option." Sonny said softly. "One that won't be a problem."

Luke looked at Sonny again, recognizing the sharp sheen of pain and loss in his eyes. It was an emotion Luke himself knew all too well. He opened his mouth…but to say - what? He shut his mouth. If he were right, Luke knew that there was nothing he could say that would take away the emptiness that Sonny was feeling. The other half of his soul was missing right about now and there were no words that would take away that hurt.

Luke knew that feeling all too well and he wouldn't wish it on his worse enemy. Well, maybe he would, but Sonny, despite their present estrangement, did not fall into that category.

The room fell silent, everyone lost in their own thoughts, or concentrating on the expanding status bar crawling across the computer screen. The computer sounded a beep, signaling that the program had run the first part of its course. Everyone gathered around.


	98. Chapter 98

CHAPTER NINETY EIGHT 

Luke turned his attention back to the screen and pressed a series of keys. The screen changed to a map, with two columns of phone numbers on each side, showing the location of each phone call color-coded by date and area code. The program blinked its way through each phone number, sorting and coding as it went, mapping out the coordinates across the map.

Quite a few of them were mapped out around the Whiteville area. Sonny frowned as he leaned forward and saw that name. Something nagged at him from the back of his mind. There was a missing link there. He raised his eyes and met Jason's.

"Whiteville. There's something about that name. There's something I should know…" Sonny said, feeling the frustration rising up in him. The worry over Alexis was messing with his mind, he knew it and felt himself beginning to burn with anger. But he fought it down, knowing it would do him no good, and maybe cost in the search for Alexis. He couldn't afford to lose it now. Sonny walked away from the gathering around the computer. He walked to the porthole window and gazed out across the water. Unthinking, one hand twisted itself into a fist. He brought it up and hit the wall. "What am I missing?"

Jason had come up behind him. "Whiteville – that's where Carly was."

Sonny turned to look at Jason, waiting for the explanation.

"You didn't want to know anything after Carly appeared after the car crash." Jason said, his voice carefully neutral. "Before she showed up, we had men out looking for her, checking everywhere in a fifty mile perimeter of where she'd disappeared at - and some things came up that didn't quite jive together. "

"Like what?" Sonny asked. An ugly suspicion bloomed in him, making him sick.

Jason shrugged. "Nothing in particular I could point at, or else I would have told you. The timelines of our search and Carly's appearance didn't connect. But she was home, and you and Bobbie and Michael were so glad to see her back alive and well… well, you told me not to worry about it, it didn't matter. Don't you remember?"

Sonny did. There'd been so much going on, so many things on his mind. When he'd thought Carly had died, he'd been so sure that God was punishing him one more time. And fool that he was, he'd been so eaten up by it, that he'd convinced himself that to keep Alexis safe, he had to push her away before she was as dead as Carly had been. And then Carly had walked into her own memorial service and everything had to gone to hell – until Alexis had reached out to him, in love. But one thing was sure and he couldn't deny it….The fact remained – Carly had lied to him. Again.

And that's not all he remembered. Finally, the key slid into its place in his mind. Whiteville - that had been the name of one of the files that had been in Alexis' briefcase. That's why the name had stayed in his mind…it clicked together with what Jason had told him… had Alexis discovered Carly's secret? And if she and Mason were involved, maybe Alexis had uncovered more than that. Sonny told them the same and they all digested that fact in silence. Before they could say anything, Luke turned from the computer.

"Uh-oh, boys and girls," Luke said suddenly. "Listen up. I recognize a number on the screen and it ain't gonna make anyone a happy camper."

"What is it?"

"Who's number?" Sonny and Jax demanded almost simultaneously.

"Helena Cassadine."

Sonny looked to Jax, a thrill of fear went through him as he saw the other man's face go pale at Luke's answer. "How can you be so sure?" Sonny asked.

"Trust me I got the old bat's number. She calls me from time to time, Asks about my health." In spite of his words, Luke grinned cockily under their incredulous stares. "What can I tell you, sometimes she wants me dead, sometimes she doesn't. Women. Fickle creatures, aren't there? But one thing I've figured out over the years, if I'm gonna die, I figure Hells has assumed lese majesty – my death is only permitted if I die at HER hand." In spite of the situation, he grinned again. "Being in her so-called good graces is better than an insurance policy. I think she'd murder anyone else who even dared think of harming the merest hair on my head."

"And she doesn't try and conceal it?" Sonny asks. "Is she crazy, or what?"

"Was Attila the Hun crazy? Or the Borigas?" Luke shrugged. "Crazy like a fox." He answered his own questions. "Helena is ruthless and murderous, and maybe even a touch psychopathic, but never underestimate her. But she might have made a mistake this time around with the phone calls. Maybe the old bat doesn't have caller ID in Transylvania, or wherever she and her coffin has used for her permanent mailing address. But since I haven't heard from her lately, maybe this explains why. She's working my home turf and doesn't want me to know it. The question is why is she back in Port Chuck and what does she want?"

"Where she's calling from?" Sonny demanded.

"Let's see what my darlin' personal piece of hells-on-earth has been up to – and where, shall we?" Luke punched in some new commands. "A few places around PC. He looked up at Sonny and then Jax. "Seems like a few calls to Carly's cell as well as Mason's. In fact," Luke paused while he studied the screen's information. "… all three of their cells are connected."

"And the last calls?" Jax asked.

"Mason's…as far as I can tell...from the docks. Hells..her last call came from the island."

"How soon can we get out there?" Sonny said to Jason even as he was turning towards the door..

Before Jason could answer him, Luke did. "Hold it, Sonny. You're not going to go in there guns blazing. Unless you want to kill Alexis."

Sonny had continued towards the door as Luke had begun to speak, but his last words halted him in his tracks.

"You don't understand. Alexis knew something. Whiteville…I remember seeing a file marked Whiteville in with her other stuff. I put it in her briefcase….I had my hands on it." Sonny swore quietly. "It was right after Stefan died. Alexis was torn up, so I took her home to my place. I came back and got some of her stuff and that's when I saw it. But I didn't think to ask about it. How could I have been so stupid? She had the truth about Carly right in her briefcase and I didn't know it. Maybe we could have stopped all of this before it happened."

"I doubt it;" Jax said. "Helena's plans were already in place. There was no way any of us could have known. I wonder what else Alexis had on Carly though; there could be some clues as to what Helena and Mason have in mind to do next.."

"Breadcrumbs." Luke said. "Alexis was checking on Carly. And whatever she'd found out, she wasn't done, otherwise I think it's a sure bet that she would have told you." He said to Sonny.

"I know that. Alexis knew something else. And mason found out about it and took her because of it." Sonny said.

"Whatever she found out, could lead us straight to the old bat. And if we can get to her, maybe we can bargain for Alexis with it. So we need to go into Wyndemere swift and silent. We need to find out what Alexis knew before she disappeared."

"I don't remember seeing her briefcase in my apartment." Sonny said.

"She had it with her at Windermere." Johnny said suddenly. "But she left it there when we took the ferry back to the mainland."

"We can't go out to the island without a plan." Luke said. He reached for and lit a cigar, then puffed on it heavily, obviously lost in thought. "Let's go over what we know so far. Helena has Alexis. And obviously went through great lengths to set up a scenario to get her. Why?"

"She must have been behind Stefan's murder as well." Jax said. "She arranged for Sonny to be accused for that."

"She took me out so she could go after Alexis." Sonny said.

"It's obvious this was a long-range plan, a long time in the making, and with a long term goal in mind. Helena wouldn't have taken her time otherwise. So," and here Luke began counting points off on his fingers. "One, Helena has been watching over Alexis long enough to realize that you and Alexis were more than friends. Two, that made you a player in the game. Hurting Alexis through you was a side-benefit. Three, Mason is obviously in on it, probably bought and paid for to come to Port Charles to distract Alexis with a little fake romance – all the better to not just stick a knife in Alexis' heart but to twist the blade once it was in by having her lover betray her, but Helena hadn't counted on you two having more than attorney-client privileges. But somewhere along the way, she got wind of it. After that, you became not only an obstacle to be removed, but a pawn to be sacrificed. The thought of Alexis getting a happily ever after wouldn't sit well with Hells at all.  
"So – four - you become a target. Five, is Carly's involvement." Luke held up a hand to stop Jax's protest. "I'll pose the question: Was Carly a willing participant, or is she a victim of Hells' machinations? For now, we'll give her the benefit of the doubt. Helena loves nothing more than to use unsuspecting pawns in her little games. I'm sure it amused her to use who she perceives as Alexis' rival to her own ends."

"Why go through all this?" Sonny wanted to know.

"Helena thinks ahead. But her aim is always the same. She wants my whether-I-like-it-or-not step-son, Nikolas - the Cassadine Prince - under her thumb. She wants to be the power behind the throne. So remove Stefan, remove Alexis, and who else does she have to thwart her influence?"

Jax looked at Sonny, who was looking sick. "That's too simplistic. Nikolas won't bend to Helena that easily. If anything, killing Stefan and Alexis would destroy any hope of her influencing Nikolas. I think that the point was made by murdering Stefan. She'll hold Alexis – and use her to keep Nikolas in line." Jax stared at Sonny. "She's not dead."

Sonny turned to him, his eyes black with pain. "She can't be."

"I hate to say it, but lucky for us – and Alexis - the Aussie is probably right. Helena wouldn't have bothered to involve you." Luke pointed at Sonny. "If she hadn't planned on keeping Alexis alive for her own purposes. If she'd wanted Alexis dead, well let's just say that we'd be planning the funeral, picking out the casket, etc. etc…."

"You're being a regular blast of sunshine, here." Jason commented quietly.

"You've never dealt with Cassadines, Young Morgan." Luke exhaled a long stream of smoke. "I've been doing it for decades. So sit still and learn from the master."

Jason didn't rise to his taunt. "So what do you think we ought to be doing?"

"Exactly what we are doing – planning our work and working our plan as they say. We're going to figure out every step Helena has taken and then figure out what steps she's going to take and then beat her to the punch."

"And what about Alexis?"

"We're going to get Natasha back, safe and sound and in one piece. That's the important thing."

"The most important thing." Sonny said..

"No argument there." Luke said.

"We need to go now - tonight."

"Not necessarily." If Luke was surprised to find himself the voice of reason, he didn't show it. "We need to know just what it is we're walking into."

"But you know, more than anyone else, what Helena is capable of." Jax added his voice to Sonny's. "We can't leave Alexis in her hands."

"I already told you - if Helena wanted Alexis dead, then she would be." Luke stated brutally. He didn't like hurting Sonny, but the man had no real idea of just how lethal Cassadines could be. "The question is, how long before Hell's men realize that Johnny isn't where he's supposed to be?"

"They only came once to check on me. I played like I was still out of it." Johnny told them. "Lucky for me, they didn't search me as well as they should have. They took my gun, but missed the pick pack I keep at the back of my belt." he grinned viciously. "Lucky for me."

"Unlucky for them if Helena finds out." Luke said. "But we need to use every advantage we got. So yeah, we go to Windermere tonight. But only for reconnaissance purposes."

He turned to look directly at Sonny. "Remember that. We ain't the cavalry and you ain't John Wayne." When Sonny said nothing, Luke continued. "We don't know where Alexis is. Windermere has more secrets than you know. We don't even know whether or not the mama bat is in residence at the moment. If she isn't, then things could go smoothly,. But if she is, that just makes the whole situation that much more dangerous. So we go and have us a look around. After we know more, we do what we gotta do. Now, let's put our heads together and do what we came here to do. We need a plan."

Thirty minutes later, they had one.


	99. Chapter 99

CHAPTER NINETY-NINE 

"Ninotchka." His voice was weak, but Alexis stirred out of a restless sleep the moment she heard his voice. "Little One."

"Stefan!" Alexis slipped from the chair to kneel beside his bed.

He tried for a smile, forcing his lips upwards. At the same time, he lifted a hand towards her. A fresh pang of pain went through as she saw how it trembled. Her beautiful, wonderful, strong cousin, reduced to this because of Helena's schemes. And here she was, caught in the spider's venomous and lethal web, right alongside him. Stifling a sob, Alexis reached for him and held his hand in her own two hands tenderly.

"Of all the times I have delighted in the sight of you, this is the one time when I wished not to see you. My mother has us both ensnared in her web, hasn't she?"

"It doesn't matter… you're alive." Alexis said. She mastered her tears and smiled at him, though her eyes gleamed brightly with them "And you are yourself again."

Stefan struggled to sit upright and Alexis moved to help him. It took a few minutes, and once settled in an upright position, he closed his eyes wearily. But he was all too aware of her anxious eyes upon him. Stefan opened his own eyes again. "Not quite myself, I'm afraid. But I find myself much in need of soap and water. Would you help me?"

Aware and awake he might be, but Stefan needed all of her strength to maneuver himself from the bed to the bathroom. Once there, he sat heavily on the side of the bathtub, gesturing for her to start the shower. But to her surprise, once she had started the spray, he kicked the door shut. His hand reached out and grasped her wrist; his grip on her arm, Alexis realized, was surprisingly strong. His eyes went intent upon hers, clearer than they had been a moment ago.

"We haven't much time, Alexis." Stefan said. "I am not as incapacitated as my mother would wish. But even so, I am sure that she has these apartments wire-tapped. The sound of the water should drown our voices out…so we have a few moments here."

"But how?" Alexis whispered. "I saw her inject you…"

"I've never underestimated my mother's ambition. This not the first time she's tried to eliminate me from Nikolas' life. But it seems this plan of hers was one I rightly anticipated. At least in part."

"I don't understand..how could you have…"

"There are various drugs and poisons that I have acclimatized my body to over the years, for this specific reason." Stefan explained. "I was never as debilitated as she thought I was, so my unconsciousness was mostly a charade, a mask I chose to wear until I could find the opportunity to free myself from her." He frowned. "I didn't expect the explosion at your Mr. Corinthos' warehouse, I do admit. She must have known about you and he. My over-protectedness played directly into her hands. I apologize for that, Alexis."

"You don't have apologize for anything, Stefan." Alexis told him and meant it with every piece of her being. "All that matters is that you are alive and well."

The steam was beginning to fill the room and Stefan coughed. "Alive, yes. Well, not quite. I'm not totally immune to the narcotics Helena has inflicted upon my system. But I thought it would keep me alive and able to snatch whatever opportunity that might come my way. Once outside this room, I'll continue the charade. We don't know how long we have before Helena makes another move. But we must stay ready."

"We will. Together we'll find a way out of here."

"I believe we will." Stefan told her. "But I won't lie to you; this is one time I would wish for your Mr. Corinthos to have stayed closer to your side." He tried for a smile. "In fact, I wouldn't mind seeing him right now. The conversation we'd have would be markedly different from the one I envisioned."

"Would it be? Really?" Alexis tried for a teasing tone, grateful to see even the merest shadow of the old Stefan returning. "Tell me if you wouldn't be questioning what his intentions were. Well, you'll get your chance to ask him about that soon enough." Somehow just saying the words gave Alexis a sudden warmth along with a renewed sense of comfort and she managed to smile back at Stefan with a new sense of hope.

Sonny checked the rounds in his 9mm once more before slipping it in the holster centered in the middle of his back, then reached for another weapon, settling the Glock into the shoulder holster riding on the right side of his chest. His hand smoothed its way along the supple leather of the holster and he felt a sudden warmth and desire that it was Alexis' face he touched. Although there was no comparison between the heavy leather and the sensation of silk that her skin sent through his fingertips, the longing was there suddenly, so strong that it hurt. Hurt so much that his fingers trembled with need.

He jerked his hand away from the holster, raising his eyes to see if anyone else had noticed. But they were all busy readying themselves and none had thought to spare him a glance. Jason had called in three of their men. Two of them had been muscle men, the third their chief tech-guy, Stan. It had been over Luke's objections; he wanted to keep their sortie small lean and mean, as he had put it. But Jason, always the master tactician, had argued him down. If there comes a time when they were forced into separating into two teams, or else they needed backup, better to have them there, because there would be no time to send for any. And in case there were any computer work to be done, Stan was the best they got. "And I'm betting he's better than you." Jason said flatly.

"The point is to make it in and out of there alive." Luke had said. "And that means we can't be seen."

"The point is –" and Jason had looked swiftly from Luke to Sonny and back again. "- to rescue Alexis Davis. If we make it in undetected, then she is our first priority. We need every advantage we can get. Stan can get us through any electronic traps tat might be set up. "

Luke had started to protest, but Sonny interrupted. "We go in with what Jason says we go with. Max is good muscle, and Stan could come in handy if we need him for more - delicate work." He looked hard at Luke. "You said it yourself – not to underestimate the old bat. So that means using every weapon at my disposal. These are men I trust with my life every day. They are my eyes, my ears, my strong right hand. The best I got and I won't give Alexis any less."

And that had been that.

Sonny caught Luke giving Jax a long measuring glance.

After he'd broken out his personal armory – and there were enough armaments to fund a small army. "I'm like a Boy Scout." Luke had said. "Always prepared." – He'd been watching the golden hair Aussie.

Jax looked up and caught this last glance. It was measuring, judging and jax didn't like it one bit. "Is there something you want to say, Spencer?" he asked roughly.

"Hey, I was just thinking, if this ain't your cuppa tea, all you got to do is say so."

"Do you hear me saying anything?"

"This is no time for heroics." Luke said. "And nobody is going to blame you if…"

Jax cut him off before Luke could speak another word. "There's nothing to worry about. You two – " and his eyes swept around the room to include both Luke and Sonny. "You two think you're the only ones that have a say in protecting Alexis? I knew her before either of you did. I loved her before you did." He said to Sonny, before turning to Luke. "She was – she _is_ my best friend - She was _my wife!_"

"In name only!" the words came out of Sonny's mouth before he could think to stop them. Jax could say what he wanted, but he had _never_ had the hold on her heart, the bond that he and Alexis had shared.

"Do you think that means that I didn't love her?…that somehow I love her any less because I let her go?" Jax demanded as he spun around to face Sonny. His eyes blazed with fury."But forget all of that. Do you think I would sit by and watch you two and whoever else go after her? With all the loyalty and love and heart that is in Alexis, do you really think that I could sit by and do nothing?" His gaze stared angrily, a challenge at both men as he picked one of the many guns on the desktop, and handling it with an ease that showed long experience. Jax lifted the gun, sighted along the barrel, then, his movements sharp and precise and professional, checked the rounds, chose a holster, slipped it on and loaded his weapon into it.

"Alexis had wondered if Helena had had a hand in Stefan's murder. And if she was right, and then turned her sights on Alexis, I'll gladly do whatever it takes to make her pay." The tamped down fury and passion in his voice left the room silent.

Luke looked at him for a long moment. "For whatever reason, Helena has a soft spot in that lump of coal she calls a heart for you, Aussie. Having you along might work to our advantage."

"Then let's do it." Jax answered flatly.

"Let's roll." Sonny said.


	100. Chapter 100

CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED 

They left the Haunted Star by a back entryway, not through the main lounge. A van was waiting for the to transport them down to the docks. Once they had agreed on their plan, Jason had arranged for a boat to meet them there. They waited in the van for the call that told them that the boat had arrived.

They were a silent group. All that had been needed to be said had been said. The new additions to the group checked and rechecked their weapons. Stan, their tech-man, unshouldered his knap-sack and did incomprehensible things with various objects he'd brought with him.

The silence was broken by the vibrating hum of a cell phone. All eyes went to Jax. He answered it quickly.

"Nikolas."

"Alexis never showed. Where is she and what's happening?" Jax's silence spoke volumes. "Something is wrong and you're not telling me…." This time the silence shimmered into stunned comprehension. "It's Helena, isn't it? What has she done to Alexis!"

"We cant find her." Jax admitted.

"I'm coming home. On the first charter I can commandeer."

Jax had to stop him, so he was blunt. "You can't. You do that, you move too precipitously and you'll tip Helena off to the fact we know she's involved." Jax warned him. "All we have working for us now is the element of surprise.

"Us? What us? Who else is involved?" Nikolas demanded.

Jax didn't answer him directly. "I'm using every resource available to keep Alexis safe. Whatever your grandmother has going on, is part of some time long range, well thought out plan. If we're gong to thwart it, then we have to be capable of fighting her. If you rush in here to the rescue, you blow whatever advantage we might have at this point. So Nikolas, don't do it. I know your first instinct is to protect Alexis. But your actions may do more harm than good."

"So I'm supposed to just sit here and do nothing, Jax? That's not going to happen."

"Any unplanned move could destroy everything. You can't take any action that might change the balance of power in this situation. Helena can't know that we're onto her plans."

"We're not – you are." Nikolas replied angrily. "What aren't you telling me?"

"Anything I know now, is just a guess. As soon as I know anything for sure, I will let you know. I promise." Jax knew that Nikolas wasn't satisfied, and he hated keeping anything from him, but he could tell from the younger man's voice that it was for the best. He was usually a level-headed young man, Alexis had told him so many times that Nikolas had an "old soul", but his hatred of Helena's meddling in his life might cost him the usual level headedness, the reserve, that usually marked Nikolas' character. Alexis' life depended on so many – too many - things going just right. At this point, Jax just couldn't afford to take the chance that anything at all could go against them. Nikolas would understand that – once everything was over and done with. With that in mind, he managed to calm Nikolas and make him see reason and that done, he ended the call

"Nice move, Aussie." Luke was the only one who had a comment of course. "I know that Nikolas is supposed to be the one raised with all the inbred coolness of royal blood, yadda yadda yadda, but never forget, the Cassadine fires burn in him as well. If he knew what was going on, he could become the joker in the deck, and any action by him could throw a monkey wrench into the works. Much better not to let him in on the plan. He'll forgive the lie later."

"I know you lie to every one whenever it suits you, but I didn't enjoy it." Jax said.

"No one asked you to. But lying is a necessary evil at times."

"Spare me the philosophic arguments, Luke" Jax said. He wasn't feeling happy with himself right about now, and Luke was not helping. Definitely not helping.

Luke was spared the necessity of handing out more words of wisdom by a discreet knock on the side of the van. Jason drew his weapon then slid the side door open. He relaxed as he recognized the boat's pilot and they followed him back to the chartered boat.

Once aboard, Luke went forward with the pilot to give him directions. The others went down into the cabin to await the end of their journey. Only Sonny, Jax and Jason remained on the deck, Jax and Sonny both lost in their own thoughts. Satisfied that their departure had been unnoticed and they weren't being followed, Jason took a long measuring look at them both, and then moved off, choosing to join Luke in the pilot's cabin.

The two men were left alone with the dark, with no other sounds but the rushing waves and the growing wind. Sonny glanced at the sky. Even in the dark, he could see the clouds massing overhead. There was no doubt that a storm was brewing. He stared into the darkness, barely able to make out the outlines of the island; it was just a mass of black against black, shifting shadows that filled him with a premonition of danger.

Sonny's heart jerked painfully in his chest as he recognized the path the boat was taking. They weren't heading for the island's main docks, but had veered around it in a long arc, around to the leeward side, where the cottage that Alexis had taken him lay. In his mind's eye, he was seeing her again as she had looked that night, and the thought that he might never see her again sent a shiver through his soul.

"Alexis…" her name escaped his lips unknowing. Then all of a sudden he was aware of Jax's eyes on him. He turned to the other man. "Whatever happens when we get in there, you make sure Alexis gets out of there safe. That's the only thing that's important, and the only thing I want. She gets out safe. No matter what."

"Not a problem." Jax answered him, his voice just as short and quiet as Sonny's had been. He started to say one thing, that Sonny was the last person he either needed or wanted to tell him about how important Alexis' life was but something inside himself, something that he felt radiating from Sonny Corinthos made him stop himself before the words were ever spoken. With no small sense of shock he realized what Sonny was really saying. He was telling him that he was giving his life for Alexis'. For the first time maybe, Jax was being forced to realize just how much Alexis had come to mean to Sonny.

"We're going to get her, Sonny. We're going to get her, and bring her home…. she's going to come home, so I can drive her crazy with my nagging her to lead a healthier lifestyle… and she will ignore me and spend all of her time getting you out from under the thumb of the PCPD and you know how much she loves that." Jax saw Sonny's expression shifted slightly. He could see the tiniest spark of relief creep into his gaze, that someone else believed that Alexis was still safe and alive and believed that everything was going to turn out all right in the end.

Something inside changed for Jax too. To his own surprised self, he felt his expression change into a smile; he was actually smiling at Sonny to reassure him. And it was nowhere as hard as he would have once thought it was.

Adding to his surprise, after a long moment, Sonny smiled back. It was a grim smile, and there was tension on the edges on it and a very real fear lurking just behind it, a fear that Sonny was doing his best to keep hidden. But at the same time it was an acknowledgement of despite all that had gone on between them, on this, for the love of one Alexis Davis; they were joined in a common cause. After another long measuring moment, Sonny put out his hand. And looking him directly in the eye, Jax took it. Both of them looked down at their joined hands. After that, there was no more to be said.

Sonny was feeling the same as Jax, a little bit stunned and in spite of everything, feeling a little bit lighter in his heart. Both men had somehow come to accepting the other's presence in Alexis' life. Sonny realized that Jax would always care for Alexis –no _love_ her - just as much as she…loved… him. Nothing and no one would change that. And Jax's handshake meant that he had finally accepted the fact that whatever Sonny and Alexis had found...it was real.

Jax turned back and looked out over the water. He hadn't wanted to believe it, but there was no more denying it. Sonny loved Alexis and that could only have happened if Alexis loved him too. And suddenly, that was all right with him. Whatever it was that made Alexis happy, then that was what he wanted for her. And he would do - was going to do - anything and everything to give her whatever it was her heart wanted.

All he asked was the chance to make it so.


	101. Chapter 101

CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED ONE 

A short time later, the small group of men splashed their way ashore as quietly as possible. The moon was still fighting against the clouds piling high in the sky, but still managed to give off enough light so that Luke was able to guide them along the shore. Sonny's heart clenched again as he realized that he was leading them all straight to the cottage.

Luke led them straight to the cottage as though he knew the way. Once they were all inside, he shut the door behind them and they all tok a moment while their eyes acclimatized to this new darkness.

Sonny was actually glad for the blue-black shadows draping the room. He had to not let himself remember too much; this was neither the time or place. Because if he could see the room as it was the last time he was here, then he could see Alexis' face lit by the glow of a score of candles, he could smell the scent of her and feel the satiny texture of her skin beneath his fingertips. He clenched his hands into fists instead, willing those thoughts away.

Luke moved to the fireplace and moved his hands over the stones in a particular pattern and to the others' amazement, the entire fireplace swung away from the wall. A dark cavern yawned behind him.

"Welcome to the spider's lair." Luke said with a dramatic wave of his hand. "Let's make sure we don't get caught in her web, 'cause this is one lethal black widow."

Once they were all inside, Luke activated a second hidden switch that closed the entrance behind them. There was a moment of darkness, and for a split second, Sonny felt the old almost familiar choking in his throat as he felt the walls of the rock-hewn tunnel close in around them, but he swallowed heavily and mastered it. Luke switched on a halogen light stick and the others quickly followed his actions before he began to lead them into the dark.

Luke walked with a certainty that demonstrated a long standing familiarity with the tunnels. He led them through easily, until they came to a metal door. "Well, this is something new the wicked witch of the north south east and west has come up with." He said as he gave the door a careful once over.

Compared to the walls edging it, the door was obviously newly built and installed. The gun-metal grey metal shone dully in the fluorescent lights. And no regular locked held it shut, but a panel with blinking lights. "And she's gone high tech too." An amused smile crossed his face. "I think we need a little technical assistance."

"That would mean me." Stan said, stepping forward. He unloaded his backpack and pulled out an assortment of tools. Quickly, he attached a device to the door and drew out wires to attach to the computerized lock. Then he attached those to his laptop and began to analyze the codes.

"Sometimes, I prefer a good old fashioned stick of dynamite to blow all of your obstacles out of your way." Luke commented to no one in particular.

"If the point is to get in and out without being found out, then you have to fight fire with fire, as it were." Stan said without turning around. "Unless you happen to have a stick or two handy?"

"Carry on, Young Dred Einstein." Luke stuck a cigar in his mouth but didn't light it. "Just do it fast."

"I'll do it right, and that's more important."

Luke had no answer to that. He turned away and went to stand by Sonny. "How you holding up, partner?"

"I'll be better once we get in and find Alexis and get out of here."

"We're supposed to be on a reconnaissance mission, remember?"

"She's here, Luke." Sonny said. "She's here, and I'm not leaving this island without her."

Luke looked into Sonny's eyes and what he saw there made him hold his tongue. He should have known better. He really should have.

* * *

Alexis was amazed at how much better Stefan looked after a few hours rest. He slept now and she sat by his bed side, watching him. It would be awhile before he was better, but Alexis made herself believe that they would have that time.

She reached out a hand gently smoothed a lock of his darkly golden hair. There were no words to express how grateful she was that all that planning Stefan had done, using his wits to guess at all the eventualities of Helena's plans for him had paid off. Whereas before, she'd felt nothing but despair, knowing that Stefan was alive and closer to health than Helena supposed him to be, gave her a new sense of hope.

Her hand smoothed his tousled hair into place; she smiled to herself, knowing how fastidious her brother could be. Her smile widened as her hand pulled back and instinctively moved over her stomach. She hadn't told Stefan yet about her news. She told herself it was because she didn't want him to worry over her any more than he already did. As prepared as he might have been against Helena's actions, the truth was, he was still somewhat incapacitated.

Before she could over think the reason why, a noise from the outer rooms caught her attention; her mind instinctively went into protective mode. Stefan's deception couldn't be found out and he needed time to rest and heal so they could take on Helena together…and win…

Alexis moved quickly to the door, stepping beyond its threshold and closing it behind her. If she was unpleasantly shocked to find Helena standing just inside the entrance to the suite, she didn't show it.

"Stefan is sleeping. He needs his rest. And I won't allow him to be disturbed by you or anyone else." She told her.

"Brava, my dear. It looks like your maternal instincts are manifesting themselves already. How very commendable." Helena said.

"What did you want, Helena? Don't tell me it was to co check up on me?" Alexis asked. As long as she kept her attention away from Stefan, she could tell herself that she was buying time for their eventual escape from this place.

"Well, I did want to assure myself, with my own eyes, that you were well rested and fed." Helena said. "It seems that Stefan's continued existence proved to be some benefit in the long run after all. And here I thought I was indulging some silly whim."

"Surely it wasn't _your_ maternal instincts kicking in?" Alexis asked. "As far as I can tell, you've never had any – except those for your dead demented son, Stavros."

"Careful, Alexis." Helena's voice continued on as mockingly amused as ever, but her eyes chilled slightly. "I thought you wanted to earn my goodwill."

"As if I ever could." Alexis matched her tone to Helena's. Knowing what she did – and what Helena did not - she could give as good as she got.

"Well, as long as you carry the next generation of Cassadines, I suggest we declare détente – a stalemate, as it were."

"As long as you keep to the terms of our agreement, I see no reason not to."

"I see no reason why we shouldn't." But they both knew that was a lie. Helena would break her word in a minute, if she thought it would give her any advantage. And Stefan was still very much a pawn in the situation. That was proved when, a moment later, Alexis saw Helena's glance go to the closed bedroom door. To divert her attention, Alexis allowed her hand to slide over her stomach again, and at the same time, moved to sit down in one of the overstuffed chairs. To her relief – and surprise and discomfort - Helena took the one opposite her.

"My dear, are you ill?"

"No, I just…felt tired all of a sudden." Alexis lied.

"Perhaps I should have a physician attend you." Helena regarded her closer, with something very much like concern filling her eyes.

"I'm tired." Alexis snapped. "Not a sudden invalid. So save your crocodile tears about my well being. All I probably need is a good night sleep – something I'm unlikely to get given my present circumstances.

"The weather is hardly conducive for having a window open…"

"So instead, I'll just sit here stifled." Alexis said. "Look at this place," she gestured to the shuttered windows. "I can't even get a breath of fresh air. And you wonder why I felt faint?" She leaned her head back and closed her eyes, all too aware of Helena's eyes on her. Alexis let her control slip just a little, sure that the other woman would notice the slight trembling in her body. She was counting on it.

After a long moment, Helena capitulated. "I'll have someone see to the window in here; and that will have to do." She pulled a cell phone from her pocket and after dialing a number, gave the necessary orders.

As she talked, Alexis allowed herself to relax inside just the tiniest bit. She didn't open her eyes, though, afraid that Helena might read her thoughts too easily. The truth of the matter was that Alexis was feeling tired, more tired than she could remember feeling in a long time. Tired, stifled from being locked up, no matter how comfortable her surroundings, and underneath it all, still very much afraid, no matter that she'd managed to momentarily trick Helena.. She didn't know what Helena's actions might do for her and Stefan, but she had to grasp at any chance that might come her way.

They were soon joined by one of Helena's minions, workbag in hand, who came in and went straight to the window. Pulling back the tapestry drapes, he began unsealing the intricate locks and welds that Helena had had put on the window. Alexis opened her eyes a fraction, unnoticed, she studied the man, looking for anything that she could possibly use. He had a work belt around his waist and there were various pouches, work-kits and tools hanging from it.

Alexis sat up. She lifted her hands and ran her fingers through her hair. "I hope you don't expect me to be overly grateful, Helena." Without looking at her, she stood and walked unsteadily to where the workman labored over the last of the sealed hinges. She pretended to close her eyes, but only lowered them part-way. As the windows opened, a current of cold, fresh air gusted into the room. Alexis stretched out her arms, stretched her body upright, drawing in the fresh air gratefully. And then she allowed herself to stagger against the man.

"Alexis!" she heard Helena's voice behind her. And then, "Catch her, you fool, don't you dare let her fall!"

Suddenly Alexis saw her chance. She caught the edge of the window's drapery. "Don't touch me!" Alexis snapped at him, even as she let her body slide downward. As the man bent over to grab hold of her, she let one hand slip to his belt. She let go of the drapery with the other hand and struck out at him wildly. Unnoticed, her other hand flew to his belt. She didn't have time to pick and choose – the first pouch her hand fell upon, she let her fingers guide themselves quickly to his belt-loops… a moment more…yes, she released the belt clip. Alexis drew in a deep breath and forced herself to begin to retch. Every time the man tried to reach for her, she fought him off and only gagged, gasped and acted as though she couldn't quite catch her breath. "…the baby…" she moaned out loud.

Like any other man, he was helpless in the face of such an obviously female reaction; she could sense his nervousness and confusion as he hovered over her uncertainly. Meanwhile, the pouch fell to the floor. Hopefully unnoticed, Alexis shoved the pouch towards the curtain.

"Get her up!" Helena commanded. This time, Alexis didn't fight the man as his arms came around her, but she moved, slowly, still breathing heavily and as she came to her feet, she used one foot to shove the pouch out of sight beneath the heavy curtain panel.

"I'm fine!" Alexis snapped at the man who had gotten over his momentary hesitation. "Just a little . . . a little…I ... don't know.." she said, allowing a sense of uncertainty to creep into her voice.

"Perhaps I should have a physician summoned here after all." Helena examined her closely as she was helped back into her chair.

"No..." Alexis said. "No.. I'm … I'm alright. It was the cold air…" she lied, looking for an excuse, and explanation for her actions. "It was sudden, that's all. What do you expect, I'm kidnapped, I find out my brother isn't dead but alive, and then I have the bombshell dropped on me that I'm having a baby. From you, no less. That might be a bit much for me, don't you think?"

There were a few moments of silence while Helena did nothing but look at her. Alexi wondered if she saw right through her façade. She closed her eyes, willing Helena to accept what she'd said.

"Rest is what you need. And perhaps a change to a warmer climate might be more beneficial." Helena's words put a new fear into Alexis but she tried not to react.

"Well, you didn't think we could stay here for the entire term of your pregnancy." Helena said. "No, I think we should remove ourselves from this environment."

"You promised that you would let Stefan recover. After what you've done to him, he's too weak to be moved." Alexis said.

Helena stood and looked down on her. "You might be right. Having kept him alive for all this time, I wouldn't want to expend his life needlessly."

"After all, what else would you use to keep me in line and obedient." Alexis said, letting her bitterness show in her voice. She had nothing to lose and she knew that she had to keep what upper hand that she could. Bowing down to Helena too easily would simply earn her contempt. The only way she could possibly win time for her and Stefan; time wherein she hoped somehow, impossibly, rescue would come, is to stand toe to toe with Helena and walk the tightrope between strength and capitulation. Too much either way could incite her murderous stepmother to action that could prove deadly to Stefan and dangerous to her.

"There is that little fact, my dear Alexis. I'm glad you recognize it. It will help to keep you - dutiful." Helena replied. "Would you like me to have something sent up for you? Some tea or fruit, or a light meal perhaps?"

"Yes, that would be a good idea." Alexis said. She looked up at Helena. "And lest you think I'm about to become 'dutiful', I do so only for the sake of my child, not because you suggested it. At least I don't have to worry about any of it being drugged, am I correct?"

Helena actually laughed as she walked to the door. "Would I tell you if I were going to drug you? But we both know that in your delicate condition, I would hardly consider any action that might endanger the next generation of the Cassadine dynasty." The smile she turned onto Alexis actually reached her eyes for once. Helena was genuinely amused. "This is actually a wonderment in its own way. You see Alexis, we can find common ground. Your child is something we can both cherish – we will cherish. I for one can't wait."

Alexis watched the door close behind her and her workman and once she was sure they were gone, she hurried to the window. Kneeling down, she found the pouch. Remembering Stefan's earlier caution, she went into the bathroom and said the water to running loudly in the sink before setting on the side of the tub and emptying its contents into her lap.

Alexis left the bathroom and exhaled heavily as she sank back into the chair. She brought one hand up to wipe nervously at her brown and noticed it was shaking. She'd managed to hold off Helena – for now. But how long would that last? If she took them away from Wyndemere – they might never be found. And if she was still in Helena's control when she had her baby, there was no telling what might happen – to her, the baby and Stefan. If they were taken from Port Charles, she might never see Sonny again.

Alexis sent out a silent prayer… _Little One, pray that your father finds us soon… _


	102. Chapter 102

CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED TWO 

"There." Stan's voice was filled with satisfaction as the last number slid into place on his laptop. His own encryption-cracker program flashed and beeped softly. They could hear the tumblers inside the door fall into place. Luke tried the door and it swung open silently. He led them onwards, through a series of passageways; he managed to keep them away from any guards that might be patrolling and brought them to what appeared to be a dead-end.

"This leads to the heart of the Wyndemere web." Luke explained to them in a hushed whisper. "Used to be Stefan's base of operations whenever he was in town. No doubt, Helena took it over." He pushed at a hidden lever in the wall and a panel opened. The view was narrowed to what could be seen between two heavy wall tapestries.

Johnny moved forward and took a look. "This is where Alexis was working the last time we were here. This is where Alexis met with her investigator." He told them.

"Alexis carries her briefcase with her everywhere she goes. It's probably still there." Sonny said. "We need to get into it to find out what she knew. Maybe it will even give us a clue into how to find her."

Luke briefed them. "We go in, spread out, and search every nook and cranny. We've got to move swift, silent… a quick in and out."

But before they could go into the room, noises from beyond the doorway announced someone's approach. They pulled back, just in time to see Mason enter the room.

He came in and headed for the bar setup against one wall, but before he could reach it, his phone began ringing. Sonny watched through narrowed eyes as he answered the call, infuriated by the way mason's voice sounded do casual as he greeted his caller.

"My apologies, Nikolas, but I haven't heard from Alexis; I presumed that she was on her way to Europe to meet with you. I got the impression that she left suddenly and I presumed again - with urgency. I actually thought it was urgent Cassadine business that called her out of town. But since then, I haven't heard from her."

Sonny almost exploded from the blatant lie that was coming from Mason's lips. Only the sudden hard grip of Luke's hand on his arm stopped him.

Mason finished the phone call to Nikolas and then made one of his own. "Helena. Your darling prince is asking questions. Too many." He paused, listening. "I doubt if he's going to be content to stay in Europe much longer. So, what will that do to our plans… very well…your plans? After all, I'm sure you didn't intend on your dear darling grandson to be underfoot just yet. He could jeopardize everything and that needs to be dealt with..."

There was another pause and Mason's next words were hurried and instantly conciliatory. "No, of course not… I never meant to imply that any harm should come to him."  
There was another angry spurt of words from the phone. "I understand how important your grandson is to you. No, no, I have never underestimated his position as the Cassadine Prince. I meant no disrespect at any time…." That went on until he hung up. Then his expression turned to one of disgust as he walked over to the bar.

Behind the tapestries, Sonny's eyes kindled with a new level of hatred as Mason fixed himself a drink, looking entirely too comfortable in Wyndemere, and entirely too comfortable in what was Alexis' place as CEO of Cassadine Enterprises.

Clearly angry, Mason finished one drink and fixed himself another, swallowing half the contents in one gulp. He began talking to the air.

"You take too much upon yourself, Helena Cassadine." He muttered out loud. "All of you Cassadine do. Who do you think you are? You and your precious Cassadines…a bunch of Old-World, inbred and outmoded nobility with a sense of arrogance that none of you have earned. Not you, Helena, not your precious Nikolas, and not even your not-so beloved Alexis." Mason toasted an imaginary presence - or himself - and then drank deeply. "Even you, Alexis. I wonder if you even knew that you had it in you? As much as I courted you, as nice as I was to you...you shot me down at every turn… and in your arrogance, you thought I'd tuck my tail between my legs and go away, like a humble subject. You were, in your own way, as bad as the rest of your clan. Whatever happens to you - you brought on yourself."

Sonny couldn't listen to another word. Before anyone else could move, he was already in motion and was across the room before anyone could do more than blink.

Mason never saw the arm that came snaking around his neck, cutting off his air. Suddenly he couldn't breathe and he was being dragged backwards. Choking and clawing at the relentless pressure on his throat. Stars danced before his eyes...suddenly, he was free, only to find himself slamming painfully into the ground as a powerful blow landed on the side of his head. Then he was dragged upright for a second blow that sent him smashing into the rough rock of the corridor wall. Mason fought to draw a breath, wheezing heavily as a hand twisted into his collar, threatening to strangle him again. And then another blow landed, sending him painfully into the wall again. He felt his skin scrape against the rough surface.

"Wha... What do you want?" he managed to gasp out "Who…?. If that witch Helena had thought to double cross him, she'd find out how bad of an idea that was. He sensed he was surrounded but reached out and grabbed at his assailant's arms.

Where is she, _bastardo_?"

"Corinthos!" Mason choked out his name, shocked. His blood chilled as he looked in Sonny's face. Before he could say more, Sonny smashed his fist into his face again, feeling the other man's mouth split satisfactorily beneath his knuckles. "If you've hurt her..." But he had hurt her. Sonny thought of the terror that must have gripped Alexis as she realized what a traitor he had been to her….that thought sent his fists flying into Mason's face again. Fueled by his growing fury, he let his rage take over and hit Mason again, and then again, over and over until Luke and the others managed to get between the two of them.

"This won't solve anything." It was Jax who managed to wrestle Sonny away from Mason.

Once he had pulled Sonny away, Sonny shook Jax's grip loose. Sonny controlled himself, rearranging his clothing back into place, but his eyes never left Mason. He shrank back against the wall, looking around at the men who gathered around him in a narrow half-circle.

"If you kill him, we won't learn nothin'" Luke said calmly.

"Who says you will anyways?" Mason shot back, defiant despite the blood dripping from his mouth and nose. He looked to Jax. "Hello, old friend. Welcome to the party. Thanks for the save."

"Don't thank me yet - old friend." Jax replied, his tone hard and sarcastic. He stepped forward and shoved Mason backwards with both hands, sending him rebounding painfully against the wall. "I suggest you start talking."

"About what? Or whom?" Mason asked. Somehow he managed to regain some of his cockiness. "Yes, what shall we talk about? I think it's time to play let's make a deal. I have information you obviously want. The question is, what are you willing to pay for it?"

"How much is your life worth?" Sonny asked, his voice quietly menacing. He looked at Jason, who took a step forward. Jason twisted his hands into Mason's collar and began slowly twisting. His mocking grin soon disappeared as he struggled for breath. A nod from Sonny and Jason released him, letting him slump to the floor.

"How much, Lane?"

"You don't dare kill me - not with witnesses." Mason said. His eyes darted around the eyes watching him, none of them showing the least bit of concern for his fate. Not even Jax. "You kill me and you'll never find Alexis - or Carly."

"That was the wrong thing to say." Jason said to him. He moved one hand to his shoulder, the other to Mason's wrist and twisted him so that Mason was pressed face-first against the rock wall. Jason moved and then pressed down in a certain manner. Mason groaned out loud. "Try again. Or else I dislocate your shoulder. For starters. Killing you won't come until later."

"And there won't be any witnesses." Sonny told him. He moved closer. "I can promise you that."

"Witnesses? To what?" Luke said. He bit down on his cigar. "Sonny-boy - " He said to Mason. " -I don't know who you are, or how you hooked up with Hells, but one thing I can tell you is that you do _not_ come to Port Charles and mess with us Spencers. Carly is my sister's first-born. And I can't be having anyone messing with that. And as for Natasha – let's just say that you backed the wrong Cassadine this time around. Unlike Helena, Alexis has people who genuinely care about her… and don't take kindly to anyone trying to do her wrong." While Jason held him immobile, Luke searched Mason's pockets very thoroughly – and very ungently.

"Nothing much." Luke announced at the end of it.

"So much for show and tell." Mason said. "So now it's time to play or pay. If the price is right, I'll even give you a two-for-one deal. Alexis _and _Carly's whereabouts."

"I'd quit with the wisecracks right about now." Jason said, his voice low and quiet. The unspoken threat in his voice silenced Mason momentarily.

"That's much better." Luke said. He turned to the others. "Let's do what we came here to do."

Jason handed Mason off to Max, and then he and the others went back into the office. Instantly they were all professional; they spread out across the room, expertly searching for hidden spaces. Jax started towards the desk, then chancing a look at Sonny, halted in his tracks. Sonny had paused, looking across the desk-top.

"I'll check the file cabinets." He told Sonny. "You want to do the desk?"

"Yeah..." Sonny said. His eyes shifted slightly snapping back into focus. For a moment, he had looked at the desk and had seen Alexis' touch. In the midst of the Cassadine opulence, he sensed how she had already made this office, the bastion of Cassadine power, her own. There was a Montblanc pen on the desk; he recognized it...she'd given him one for a present once. On the corner of the desk was a his present to her, a glass jar full of chocolate-covered espresso beans. For a moment, those scenes imprinted themselves on his mind, catching him off-guard. Then Sonny caught himself, wrenching himself from his thoughts.

There was no reason for him to be thinking of those memories as though they were last memories of a time, of a love lost. The anger he felt for Mason turned, twisted suddenly and was aimed at himself. Was a part of him readying to give up on Alexis? What kind of man was he? What was he thinking? A sick anger filled him, twisted his guts and made him sick.

Mason must have been watching him as well because he laughed – it was hard and short. "Sweet memories of that desktop, Corinthos?"

"You should really shut up now." Sonny said quietly. Mason only smiled in return, then laughed aloud as he saw the quiet anguish in Sonny's eyes.

"Why, is it some shrine of your beloved Alexis? Should I ask for a moment of silence?" Mason said. "You'll never see her again, you know that, right, Corinthos? If she isn't dead, then she's dead to _you_."

Sonny turned towards Mason. Moving in close, he looked into Mason's eyes, seeing the contempt and uncaring gaze staring back at him. Without warning, Sonny slammed his fist into Mason's stomach.

"I told you, you should shut up." Sonny told him. His anger had gone ice-cold. Mason had no idea how close he was standing to his own death. Right now, Sonny could very easily kill. He felt himself slipping away into the dark place, when nothing matter…nothing at all. Because if he'd lost Alexis, then nothing in this world mattered any more.

"Hold on, compadre." Luke said. He had walked over to the bar, and after helping himself to a shot of liquor, picked up Mason's cell phone and held it high.. "Could be we don't need the smart-guy's input after all." He smiled a little smile at Stan. "How would you like to play with my program, my man?"

Stan grinned back. "You know it, man." He looked at the desk for a moment, but after a second look at Sonny, moved to the small couch at the other end. Once there, he unpacked his computer gear and started setting up the connections between Mason's phone and the laptop.

Sonny moved back to the desk. He hesitated for a moment, and then sat in the chair. There had to be something here that would give them a clue as to where find his Alexis. His leg bumped against an object under the desk. He looked down; saw her briefcase. Sonny lifted it to the desk and opened it. He looked over the files inside. He recognized them; they were for the most part, the same ones he'd collected from her apartment the night Stefan had died.

_Whiteville. _ Something about that name jogged his mind. There was something he should know. Sonny reached for the folder and opened it. And the truth was there, staring him in the face. His stomach twisted in on itself. He'd tried to deny it, but at last, he had to face it. Carly's movements had been tracked, showing all of her movements – two days after she had disappeared, and ten days before she had resurfaced at her own funeral. Eyewitnesses, forensic evidence from the cabin she had hidden herself in. As thoroughly as Alexis could be, Carly's every step had been documented, down to the receipts at the fast food joints she had visited.

Carly had lied to him. Whiteville was where she had hid out; Jason had told him that much earlier. He'd told him the truth and Sonny had to admit he was right; he hadn't wanted to know anything more once Carly had returned from the dead.

All the while as he mourned for her, grieved and let condemnation flood into his soul, she had sat back and let it happen. Carly, more so than anyone else, knew how badly her death would have hurt him. She, more than anyone else, knew the guilt that he would heap upon himself, like hot coals, burning and searing into his soul. She had known it and planned for it – counted on it. She had deliberately plunged the knife into his soul and then had cruelly, with malice aforethought, twisted it.

And now, here was another truth; Alexis had known but hadn't told him. Why? Because she hadn't wanted to hurt him, she had tried to shield him from ever finding out. But at what cost. Had Carly found out and had that been the final straw? Is that what caused her to set Alexis up to be kidnapped? He found it hard to believe that Carly could stoop so low. And how he had allowed himself to believe her lies – all of this was his fault.

Jason came to stand beside him. He took the papers from Sonny's suddenly nerveless hand and quickly skimmed them over, nodding to himself quietly. "This fills in the blanks." He said.

"Alexis never told me." Sonny's voice was still and quiet. Jason looked at him, but couldn't read him.

"She probably was waiting for the right time to tell you. You've both had a lot on your plates lately."

"I wonder when that would have been."

"Probably when it didn't matter anymore." Jax joined the conversation. From his position at the file cabinets, he couldn't help but overhear. The rest of them were making a point of staying as far as of hearing as they could.

Sonny wasn't surprised at Jax's words. He was ready, as always, to come to Alexis' defense. When would he realize that it wasn't needed? But he listened to him anyway. "That's pure Alexis." Jax said. "She was waiting for you to grow up… to get past the obsession you and Carly had for one another. She was protecting you – more than likely from yourself."

"You're right." It was a hard admission to make, but one that was true. After all, it wouldn't have been the first time she'd done it. There were only two ways the outcome could have went...he would have lost his mind to pure revenge and gone after Carly, giving her payback for her lies…or else he would have blinded himself to the truth, let it push him back into the dark places of his soul, condemning himself, telling him that it was his fate, that it was no more than he deserved – that it was all a man like him deserved. And while Carly would twist the knife into his conscience at will, that was something that Alexis could never, ever do. 

But this time, it might have cost her everything.


	103. Chapter 103

CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED THREE 

Alexis emptied out the workman's pouch and studied its contents. A number of small screwdrivers with different heads, and some other wrenches and ratchet tools, all palm sized. Would they be enough? She wondered. With a sigh, she gathered them all back into the bag, except for the screwdrivers and left her bedroom. She walked back into the sitting room and over to the door and studied it.

It looked simple enough. The door was heavy oak wood; Alexis knew that more than likely she wouldn't be able to pick it. Her mouth lifted in a reluctant smile. What she wouldn't give to have Johnny by her side right about now. She'd bet that he would have no problem jimmying the lock. Johnny had a knack for handling most situations.

She sobered; where was he? How was he? Trapped somewhere in the tunnel cells below Wyndemere. She had to get her and Stefan out of here, then the next order of business was to find Johnny and free him.

"Alexis." Lost in her thoughts, she hadn't heard Stefan's voice at first, but even when she did, it startled her. She jumped visibly and turned. Stefan was standing, leaning heavily against the doorpost.

"Stefan, you shouldn't be up yet!" Alexis hurried to him and led him, protesting, to one of the chairs.

"I'm fine…no, I amend that." Stefan replied to her reproachful glance. "I am better."

"Can I get you anything, Stefan? Water? I can send for some food; Helena has very generously left a walkie-talkie for my use. The wonders of technology, with a push of a button, we can have anything…" her voice trailed off…mainly because it wasn't really true.

Stefan's eyes traveled over her face, and then looked around the room, landing finally at last, on the window. He closed his eyes and breathed deeply, clearly relishing the fresh air. "I see you have managed to win a concession from my mother.." He opened his eyes and looked at Alexis' face. "But at what price, _Ninotchka_?"

"Nothing." Alexis said. While she looked at Stefan, remembering his warning about their words being monitored, she let her hands do her speaking – showing him the tools that she had stolen.

"Hardly nothing, I think." Stefan said. His eyes shone with approval. "Any small concession from my mother must be taken for what it is."

"A small miracle?"

"Indeed." Stefan's hands moved and covered hers. "I am so very glad to see you holding up so well, Alexis."

"I am simply determined what tools I have at hand."

"I see. Would you like it if I read to you, as I did when we were younger?"

Alexis didn't follow his reasoning at first, but momentarily it came to her; the sound of Stefan's voice might serve to cover any noise she might make as she make. "If there is something here that you used to read to me when I was a child, that would be nice."

She went to the collection of books that lined one wall and studied the titles. In spite of their circumstances, a cry of delight escaped her as she found an old favorite. She brought it over to Stefan and a smile spread across his face as well as he read the title; it was a collection of Russian fairy tales. Leafing through it, Stefan recognized several of the stories that he had read to a very young Natasha, not long after she had come to the island they'd called home, when she was struggling to master her Russian studies.

"The Rise of the Phoenix…. You remember this?"

You know as well as I do, that it was one of my favorites, right along with the Firebird."

"As though I could forget." Stefan's chestnut gaze warmed and he looked at her as though he was seeing the young Natasha.before his eyes. "So shall it be the Phoenix who has a vision of pearls, or the tale of the Firebird."

"I think the tale of the Phoenix would suit me right about now."

"Then that is where we shall start." He replied.

With Stefan's voice lending her its confidence as he began to read, Alexis turned back to the task at hand. Maybe she couldn't pick a lock, but maybe she could release the hinges. All they needed was luck – and a little time.

* * *

It seemed that luck, and time had run out for them.

After finding Mason's cell phone and Alexis' briefcase, there was little else to be found in the room. Luke jerked a thumb at Mason. "Take him – and his phone back to the boat." He turned to Stan. "Your man there, can he handle the program? I need to make sure that Carly gets home to her momma, safe and sound."

Stan nodded. "I briefed him; he's cool. We'll find her."

Sonny looked at Jason. What he wanted was there for anyone who knew Jason to see. Sonny reached out to touch him on the arm. "You go too, Jason."

"What about you?" Jason asked, even though what he wanted was etched clearly in his eyes.

"I'm good. I've got Max and Johnny. I need to know that Carly is safe, no matter what. Who else can I trust that to but you?" Sonny gaze locked onto Jason and what went between them needed no words. Jason needed to go to Carly. She needed him like she had never needed Sonny. That was the truth, after all.

Jax looked at Sonny. "I'm going after Carly. Unlike you, I know she didn't know that this is how things were going to play out." His face showed his torn emotions.

"She never does, Jax. But you do what you gotta do." Sonny told him.

Jax stepped closer to him. "I'm trusting you to bring Alexis out of here, do you hear me? I want to see her safe and sound and I'm only leaving because I believe you can do it. Don't let me down."

"I won't." Sonny turned back to Jason. "Go after her." He didn't have to say it twice. Jason took one guard with him, and then he, the guard, Jax and Mason were gone.

And that's when their time ran out.


	104. Chapter 104

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED FOUR**

"Well, if I had known to expect guests, perhaps I would have had the servants set something out." Helena's voice was cool and amused. One moment they'd been alone. The next, she'd been there, standing in front of one of the tapestry panels. No doubt she'd come through another set of tunnels.

"Looking a little outnumbered there, Helena." Luke said with a cock-eyed smile..

"Do you mean my lack of bodyguards?" Helena shrugged. She did return his smile; Sonny didn't know whether to be worried or relieved because of it. "As I've already stated, I was not expecting to have guests this evening."

"Well, we didn't want to intrude on any of your plans, so if you'll just hand over Alexis, we'll be on our way." Luke told her. "But I do have to tell you, if your plans included Mason Lane, I'm afraid he won't be responding with an RSVP."

Helena chuckled. "Well, I did have plans to meet with him, but his absence is just a minor annoyance. After all, he's already played his part. Alexis is mine."

"Where is she?" Sonny said. "If you've harmed a single hair on her head…" To his growing anger, Helena only laughed.

"Tsk, tsk…. Mr. Corinthos – you don't mind if I prefer to call you Mr. Corinthos? 'Sonny' is hardly a word to roll off of one's tongue - you have so much to learn. But if you'll be a willing pupil, I will be glad to teach you. Lesson one: I doubt if it's wise to make threats."

"I never make threats." Sonny told her. "Only promises."

"And did you promise my bastard step-daughter that you would keep her safe? That you would never ever let anything hurt her?" Helena asked, deliberately taunting him and thoroughly enjoying the flare of pain that flashed into his eyes. "Did you? Then you lied."

Sonny made a motion as though to lunge at her, but Luke snatched him back.

"Well done, Luke." Helena told him. "You really should teach your compatriots about the rules of engagement."

"Yeah, like the one talking about that the Black Widow is never more dangerous when caught alone in her web. But other than that, there are no rules as far as you're concerned."

""How astute." Helena shrugged one shoulder elegantly. "True enough, darling Luke and we both know why, don't we? It's because, I always have an – how do you saying it in America – an ace in the hole." Helena reached easily into her jacket and brought out what looked like a remote control.

"Yes, you always did know me best. Of all the opponents I have sparred with over the years, you have been one of the most worthy. One day I will have to dispose of you permanently and believe me, it will grieve me to do so."

Sonny watched, unbelievingly as Luke sketched a bow in Helena's direction. He gave Sonny a quick glance, as though warning him to stay silent. Sonny forced himself to remember they were on Luke's turf now, dealing with a familiar enemy.

"Thank you, _darlin'._" Luke told her. "And now that we've had our fun and games for the month, what do you say we pack up our toys and everyone just go on home."

Helena actually pretended to think his offer over. "No, I'm afraid I can't oblige you this time. After all, you've brought guests, and what kind of hostess would I be if I didn't provide a little entertainment?

"But tell me, where is my delectable Jasper Jax? Knowing his devotion to my little Natasha, I was sure that he was involved in this little rescue operation." She looked from Luke to Sonny and then studied the others. Comprehension filled her eyes. "Ah. I see. He went off to rescue the fair Caroline." Her eyes went back to Sonny. "In spite of his devotion to Alexis. How interesting. No doubt, he entrusted Alexis' care and well-being to you before he left. Whatever will you tell him when you see him? How will you tell him you failed?"

Her taunts pushed Sonny over the edge. He lunged for her again, only to bring himself up short as she pulled a pal-sized metal object from her pocket. He recognized it all too clearly. It was some sort of remote control. And he could only guess at what it controlled.

"Well done, Mr. Corinthos. I admire a man with control." Helena said with a little laugh. "I do believe you recognized my little toy? It's a remote detonator. And everyone present knows what detonators are for. And since I did promise you some entertainment…" she pressed a button and an answering rumble of sound echoed somewhere away from them.

"And there's more. I have a riddle for you? Are you game?" Helena looked around. "Come now, all these brilliants minds in one place...or is it matter of brawn over brains?" she turned to Luke. "Come darling, I know that you will be able to participate in our next little go-round. Tell me, do you know the story of the Lady and the Tiger?"

Luke stared at her, now that she's precipitated her so-called game to a whole new level, he was hardly in the mood to play.

"Indulge me, Luke. I insist." She smiled, a twisting of her lips that never ever reached her eyes. But she saw in his eyes that she had him this time. "Luke…I really do insist."

"How do we know that Alexis is even still alive?" Luke demanded. "That you didn't just blow her to kingdom come?"

Sonny's chest clutched painfully at Luke's words, but he steeled himself to let Luke play this game out.

"I give you my word that she is, Luke." Helena told him. "I'll even go so far as to tell you that she's here, somewhere in Wyndemere. As to where, well, that's a secret I think I'll keep. If you want to find her, then I suggest you indulge me and my whims and tell your friends the tale."

Luke turned to the others. "I don't know if you all know about the story of the Lady and the Tiger. It's an old folk tale – an ancient myth actually."

"There was a warrior, condemned to the arena because of his forbidden love for a princess. Her father, the king, had a unique way of dispensing justice. The condemned was given a choice of two doors. Behind was a bloodthirsty tiger-" and here he shot Helena a murderous glance. – "Behind the other a beautiful woman. The condemned was either killed – or wed – on the spot. Standing before them in the arena, the warrior looks into the princess' eyes, asking her which door should he choose. She gives him the answer."

"But what is the twist to the story, Luke?" Helena asked with a purely malicious purr in her voice.

"It's worthy of you, Helena." Luke said to her. He then turned back to the others. "The puzzle, the twist to the story - is which choice does the princess give? Does love or hate guide her?"

"_Brava_, Luke. And so, here we are, gentlemen. I'm going to take my leave of you now. And our modern day twist to the tale is one where you decide the outcome: Do you let your hatred of me win over your love for Alexis? You have a choice. You can pursue me – or you can save Alexis' life. You can't do both." Silence greeted her words. Luke was the one to break it and his words admitted their defeat.

"You win this round, Helena, but this isn't over." Luke said to her, an unmistakable growl in his voice. All pretense of charm had disappeared from it.

"No, darling, it never is." Helena said with a smile. "Do give my regards to Jasper when you next you see him. Tell him that I look forward to visiting him, perhaps in the South of France. We met there once; we danced among the roses… To Tchaikovsky's Waltz of the Flowers….tell him by all means, to remember the roses of Monaco, they make such heavenly bouquets…Or on second thought, perhaps I'll give them to him myself. But in the meanwhile, I give you this." She quotes them the riddle…. _The Tiger's Eye shines high in the sky atop the highest tower. The key you seek, the love you keep, behind the largest flower. _ "And this…" She pushed another button. Somewhere above them, a muffled booming echoed. She pressed a second time and a second series of explosions erupted, shaking the floor beneath their feet and sending them all crashing down in different directions. A shower of plaster and bricks rained down on them, making everyone ducking for cover as best they could.

The room began to fill with smoke. Sonny coughed and groped his way to his feet, just in time to see Helena slip out of the room. A blink, and then there was only the echo of her caustic laughter left hanging in the air.

"Stop her!" Sonny shouted. A fresh blast shook the room and threw him facedown. Choking dust and debris rained down across the room. Sonny ignored the pain of his scrapes and abrasions and dragged himself back up, paying no mind to the crumbled mortar and shattered stone that scratched and tore his hands. "She knows where Alexis is!"

"Alexis is here! She's here in Wyndemere!' Luke shouted back over the sounds of crashing stone, mortar and beams; they seemed to be multiplying, the destruction growing, the sound echoing loudly both near and in the distance.

"How can you be so sure?" Sonny said. "That old woman is crazy." He heard the others pulling themselves to their feet and looked around in concern; even as he himself found it hard to catch his breath and coughed on the rising dust from the fallen debris and the rising smoke. Thankfully, everyone called out that they were more or less okay.

"Certifiable." Luke agreed. "But even insane people have their rules...Helena in particular. Say what you want, but Helena does love a sporting chance. We got to take what she gave us and use it." He motioned for the others to follow him through the main doors of the room. There was no need of subterfuge at this point. No doubt anyone in Helena's employ was on their way out of Wyndemere.

"She calls this a chance?" Sonny asked.

"For Hells? You betcha." Somehow Luke still managed to keep ahold of his cockiness. He hadn't even lost his cigar. "And now, we can stand here and debate the level of her insanity or we can go looking for Alexis."

By this time, they had made their way out into the main hall of Wyndemere. They stopped in front of the main staircase that rose up and branched out in four different directions. "Where do we start?" Sonny asked, bewildered and frustrated.

"Something in that little riddle she threw out is the clue." Luke said as the others gathered around. They were coated with layers of dust and plaster, but other than that, they were basically in functional, if battered, shape.

"It made no sense." Johnny said, leaning heavily on Max. His face twisted in frustration and pain and he tried to bite back a groan even as Sonny looked at him. His old wounds must have opened up, Sonny thought and took a step towards him in concern.

"You okay?" Sonny asked.

"Forget me." Johnny said, shaking his head, and did his best to ignore the pain that slashed through him as he moved. Despite his best efforts, a reflection of it flickered across his face; and a second groan escaped him but he thrust the pain aside, ignoring it. He could hurt later. There were more important things to do right now. "We've got to find Alexis." Johnny said. "Luke, what's in that riddle that we need to know?"

"Tiger's Eye and highest tower, what we seek is behind the largest flower…." Luke stopped. "Give me a minute… there's got to be something. She do love stretching the grey matter."

But they were running out of time; the rumbles and sounds of destruction were growing louder. The smoke was beginning to thicken and there was a fresh scent of fire in the air.

"I say we go back and find that madwoman and get the information from her by any means necessary." Sonny shouted angrily.

"Forget her! I told you, there are too many hidden passages in Wyndemere!" Luke shouted back. "And she knows every one of them. At least we know Alexis is alive. That's our priority now – to find her and keep her that way! We've got to find Natasha!"

"And how do we do that!" Sonny's fear was real now. This was no imaginary threat. Even with everything that Alexis had told him about Helena, he was having trouble accepting the lengths that madwoman had gone to. She was willing and ready to bring this whole place down around them. And they had to find Alexis before it did exactly that. 


	105. Chapter 105

CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED FIVE 

The smoke thickened, stinging their eyes and making it difficult to breath. Sonny looked around in every direction, trying to get his bearings and guess which way would hold the best chance at finding Alexis. He knew next to nothing about the layout of Wyndemere and knew that he was hopelessly lost. The frustration and the helplessness he felt only fueled his anger. "Where do we start looking?" he asked Luke.

"All of these towers are the same height." Luke said, trying to think of an answer. "And there are flowers all over this bloody estate!" he finished, almost shouting with frustration.

"Maybe we should split up?" Johnny said. "We don't have much time."

"We came in together, we go out together." Luke contradicted him. "You all don't know the layout of this place. Even if we did that and you found her, how would you get out?"

Luke started repeating Helena's mad riddle. "Tower…flower… there's something there we're not seeing. Damn Helena's mad humor and bad poetry."

"Maybe I can help." An unfamiliar voice sounded. All of them whirled around, drawing their weapons. Except for Luke. Despite the situation, he even managed to grin a twisted smile. "Well, if it isn't the spawn of Cassadine."

The others stared, surprised, as Nikolas emerged from the clouds of smoke. He was followed by one of Stan's associates from the boat. "Spare me the commentary, Luke." He looked around, coughing a little at the rising smoke. "You didn't think I couldn't figure out that something was going on back here in PC, did you? I knew it had to do with my Aunt Alexis; I was already more than halfway over the Atlantic when I spoke to Jax."

"And there the Aussie was, worrying about your sensibilities. I could have told him you had none." Luke said.

"I possess all the sensibilities you'd like to think I don't – in no small part because I am my mother's child." Nikolas told him pointedly. "But I am well able to control it when the circumstances warrant it.

"But never mind that," Nikolas said as he saw Luke bristle angrily of at the roundabout mention of Laura. "Let's shelve our mutual animosity for the moment and keep our minds on our priorities. I take it from the level of destruction currently occurring that my grandmother had something to do with this.

"After all," Nikolas said, matching Luke's sardonic gaze, "_You _wouldn't torch Wyndemere for no reason."

"Like I need one, boy. I'd fire up this mausoleum just to light my cigar."

Nikolas smiled grimly. "I won't argue with you. Sometimes I think you are just as obsessed and demented as my grandmother is. It's why the two of you get along so well – considering you try to kill each other almost every time you meet up. But right now, I think you were saying something about her bad poetry? So does anyone want to clue me in?"

They did that quickly. Nikolas fell silent for a moment as he took it all in.

"Well, boy?" Luke asked. The rumbling had died down but the smell of smoke and fire was getting stronger. "Get on with it; we don't have all day."

"_The Tiger's Eye shines high in the sky atop the highest tower. The key you seek, the love you keep, behind the largest flower." _Nikolas repeated the rhyme slowly. His frowned, racking his brain. "There's something there, I know it… something Helena said to me once…" his face cleared. "I think I might have it!" Nikolas ran up the main staircase and turned towards the southern flight of steps. "The hall of flowers… it leads to the south tower. The only flowers in bloom now are the tapestries that hang all down that hall. Some of them are large – huge tapestries. They all belong to her, they are a part of her heritage. Helena brought them back from Russia. They used to belong to her family before the Revolution in Russia. She said that the sea air in Greece was ruining them, so she had them shipped here. That's what she meant!"

"Are you sure!" Luke said.

"If you've got a better idea, I'm open to it!" Nikolas snapped at him angrily.

"Forget this! It's got to be right! " Sonny yelled at the two of them. "Nikolas, show us the way!"

* * *

The first explosion only came to Alexis and Stefan dimly. It shook the room, but it was little more than a tremble. Stefan stopped in mid-sentence.

"Was that thunder?" he asked.

Alexis had dragged an ottoman over to the door and had gotten the first hinge loose with only a bit of effort; the same went for the second "I don't know, Stefan. It didn't sound like thunder…" her voice trailed off as a second rumble echoed in the air. "No, that definitely was not thunder."

"Then what…" Stefan's voice trailed off and then he answered his own question. "I'd wager that this is more of my mother's doing."

"Why would she want to destroy Wyndemere…this is Nikolas' home, and she'd never deliberately do anything to harm him."

"Unless her plans were thwarted somehow." Stefan smiled faintly at Alexis' sudden glowing smile. "Yes, I think the cavalry, as they say in America, may be riding to the rescue."

"Well, we can't wait for the boys in the white hats to come riding up." Alexis told him. "We've got to get ourselves out of here."

Stefan laid the book aside tried to raise himself out of the chair. "This is ridiculous; you should not be doing all of the work. There has to be something I can do."

"Nonsense, Stefan. There's only one set of tools, and besides, you're still too weak. I don't want you to exert yourself more than you have to. You will probably need all the strength you've managed to hoard for our escape." Alexis smiled; a genuine one this time. "Just the idea of being able to spoil one of Helena's plans by simply surviving does have its up side, doesn't it?"

Stefan had managed to stand, but the effort was clearly etched on his face and even now, he was forced to lean heavily against the chair to keep erect. "As much as I hate to admit it, you're right. And yes, thwarting one of Helena's death threats is always a welcome side benefit in any of my endeavors." He said wryly.

Before either of them could say more, a second, more ominous rumble jolted through the walls and floor. This one was stronger. Several pieces of small objects were knocked over and fell to the floor, shattering into pieces. Both Alexis and Stefan grabbed onto the furniture nearest to them to steady their footing.

"What was that?" Stefan began to ask; but before he could finish, a sudden ripping sound erupted to his right. As Alexis could only stare in horror, the heavy oaken bookcases tore loose from its position and crash downwards.

Stefan!" Even as she screamed his name, he was moving, but not quite fast enough. The edge of one high bookcase caught him on the side, knocking him off of his feet. The other crashed against the windowed wall, snagging the draperies and dragging them down. Alexis had darted forward at the same time, not knowing what she could do, but moving on pure instinct. The impact of the falling bookcases sent Stefan slamming into Alexis' body and throwing them both, stunned to the floor.

For a moment, neither of them moved.

In the distance, more sounds came to them. Great booming noises heralded a series of explosions that continued to shake the room and sent everything flying around them. Instinctively, Stefan stirred, and wrapped his arms around Alexis to protect her.

Alexis shivered and tried her best to cover her head as debris rained down upon them; whatever destruction was going on, they had to get out of this room or it would become their mausoleum.

Now the walls themselves began to crumble and the debris from the plaster began to fill their air with a powdery dust. Coughing heavily, Stefan and Alexis clung to one another as they struggled to their feet. As Alexis grasped his left arm, he drew a sharp breath.

"Are you all right?" he asked; Stefan had to raise his voice almost to a shout to be heard above the growing tumult.

"Are you?" Alexis asked. Stefan shook his head, but she knew instantly that he was lying. She reached out and touched his arm again. Stefan tried to stifle a gasp of pain.

"You are hurt!" Alexis looked around, trying to find the tools she had dropped when the first quaking had hit. "We have to get out of here – now!" Half-supporting him, she began to climb over the fallen furniture back towards the door. When they reached it, both of them sank down to the floor, their hands searching frantically thorough the rubble.

In what seemed like an eternity but in reality must have only been a few minutes, Stefan found the tools and Alexis had unearthed the stool she'd been standing on. They both worked to clear a level space for the stool, but all the while, Alexis kept shooting nervous looks at Stefan. He was looking paler by the minute.

Alexis paused for a moment and reached out to touch his uninjured arm. "Stefan, what is it? It's more than the arm…please don't lie to me."

Stefan closed his eyes for a long moment, then opened them and Alexis could see the full measure of distress in his eyes.

"It's something inside." He admitted at last. "I think I'm bleeding internally."

"Then you've got to rest." Alexis said; she tried to move him as gently as possible, but made him as comfortable as quickly as she could; she helped Stefan lean against the nearest wall. The sight of his obvious weakness as he settled back did more than scare her. The fact that he gave her no resistance or protest only chilled her more. As she got him settled, his eyes fluttered shut. In response; Alexis whirled around and attacked the door again with renewed determination.

The last hinge had been twisted in the fallout- it was giving her more problems than the other ones had. Alexis scraped her knuckles more than once as she hammered and pried and wrenched at the hinge. But even though the tools she used caused her to scrape raw the skin on her hands, she wouldn't let the pain slow her down; the only release she allowed herself was to whimper softly to herself as she kept on working. Nothing mattered except to get them all out of this prison.

If her own fears weren't enough, the smell of fire and smoke continually grew stronger. Wyndemere was burning, and there they were, trapped somewhere within its walls.  
What had Helena done? – she had told Alexis that her plan was to move them out of the country. Whatever was going on outside this door, had to mean that her plans had been thwarted. Maybe Nikolas had come back sooner than she'd expected; maybe someone had noticed her absence. Sonny – he had to know something had gone wrong.

Suddenly, she was sure of it. Sonny knew. Sonny was here. Sonny was coming for her. _Hold on, Little One,_ she told her little one. _We'll be free of this place soon enough. And back in your daddy's arms where we belong._

With this thought giving her strength and hope, Alexis wrenched again at the hinge. With a final twisted screech, it wrenched free. For a moment, Alexis looked at the long hinge in her hand, unable to believe that she had done it. 'Stefan… it's done, we're free!" she cried. She scrabbled over to him. But Stefan was unresponsive to her touch. Trying not to panic, she pressed two fingers to the pulse point in his neck. His heart still beat, but she was worried – it didn't seem as strong and steady as it ought to be. She didn't know if it were just her imagination at this point. But there was no time to think on it further. She went back to the door and carefully muscled the door to one side.

Only to see a secondary door; gunmetal grey and with a blinking computer lock that Alexis knew she would not be able to breach.

Despair poured into her, drowning the last of her hopes and along with them, the tattered remnants of her soul.

Alexis sank to her knees, not feeling the tears pouring from her eyes until they splashed on her hands. When she did, try as she might, she couldn't stop them. She sobbed helplessly as despair reached up with cold and clammy hands to catch ahold of her heart.

Even as she sobbed, a part of her reached out for unfounded hope; from somewhere beyond, she knew not where, she could hear Sonny's voice calling her name; but she knew it was only her heart's despair, desperately clutching at a hopeless hope.


	106. Chapter 106

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED SIX**

They followed Nikolas swiftly to the hall of flowers. What they found was a long hall, the length of which was lined with paintings and tapestries, all of flowers -just as Nikolas had told them.

There had been a single guard, but he had taken one look at Nikolas and fled. Except for a word of warning from both Nikolas and Luke as to need to watch for taps, there was no need for words. All of them began to work their way down the length of the huge hallway, taking down the paintings and ripping the tapestries off the wall.

Sonny had paused a third of the way down the hall; at what had probably been the guard's post. He'd left everything behind in his effort to get away. Among the things left on the small table, he spread everything out; A notebook, cell phone, and a point-to-point walkie-talkie. He checked the cell first. There were no identifiable numbers in it.

To be so close and unable to find her. Sonny's heart plunged itself into despair. His eyes burned with unshed tears, while his soul screamed at him to grasp at anything, everything. It was as though he were watching someone else as he reached out for the walkie-talkie. It was crazy, it was hopeless, and everything in his mind told him that. But his heart bade him to reach out and call her name.

"Alexis…" Sonny said into the walkie-talkie. His voice broke and he fought the tears that threatened to choke his throat closed. "Alexis…Alexis!"

* * *

Alexis' head jerked upwards. Sonny's voice was so clear, how could she be imagining his voice calling her name, hearing the pain and fear in his voice. And then all of a sudden it came to her. She wasn't imagining anything. It was real. His voice was real and it was coming from the intercom by the door, just above where Stefan lay.

She forced herself to her feet and stumbled to the door. Alexis reached down with one hand to grasp at Stefan's shoulder. "Hold on, Stefan, oh, please hold on." She said. Alexis reached up and desperately pressed the buttons. "Sonny?" her voice was so, afraid to believe, but with a growing conviction, she cried his name aloud again. "Sonny!"

"Alexis!" The relief that poured through Sonny was so strong that it threatened to weaken his knees. He could barely stand upright. "Alexis, honey, where are you!"

Her voice, when it came back to him, was tinny; the unbelief and tears that overlaid it ripped at his heart, but the joy in hearing her voice over rode it all.

"Sonny! I don't know. I'm in Wyndemere, but I just don't know where I am…it was Helena…"

"We know. We know and we're here. We're here in Wyndemere. Just tell me what you see and we'll find you!"

"I'm in a room…there were two doors. I got the first one off of its hinges, but there's a second door. It's all metal and there's some sort of computer gizmo on it….there's no way I can get through it…Sonny, I never thought I'd hear your voice again… "

The sound of Alexis' voice had stopped everybody in their tracks, just for a moment, but then they turned back to their searching with more energy than ever. The growing smoke didn't stop their frantic efforts. It was Johnny who by chance reached for the largest of the wall tapestries and yanked it down, revealing a metal door with a computerized lock.

"We found it, Alexis." Sonny said into the walkie-talkie, even as he was rushing to the door. "Hold on, we're almost there."

One look at the door and the others moved to let Stan at it. He ran his fingers over the electronic keypad, and then pulled some items from his backpack and began attaching his devices first to the lock and then to his laptop. Stan slipped on his headphones, and started punching determinedly at the keyboard.

In the meanwhile, the smoke had darkened and thickened, that and the dull orange glow creeping at them from downstairs told them that the fire was drawing dangerously closer. They all crowded around, their anxiety rising as every input code Stan entered brought nothing but a flash of red, signaling access denied.

"Young Einstein, you need to blow this door or else we'll all be trapped." Luke looked down the hall and back again. "Very soon. I don't reckon on becoming toast tonight."

"Unbelievable…this is something new." Stan explained as his fingers flew over the keyboard; he was running several simultaneous code cracker routines and none of them were working. "It's only been hinted at one a couple of hacker boards. A 919 key encryption code is supposedly only on the drawing board…"

"And trust my grandmother to have gotten her hands on it." Nikolas said.

"Sonny? Is that Nikolas I hear?"

Nikolas' head came up as he heard his aunt's voice. One look and Sonny relinquished the device to him. "Yes, it's me Alexis; we're here and we're working to get you out….just a few minutes more."

In answer, all they heard was Alexis coughing. They looked at each other in alarm. Sonny took back the walkie-talkie "Alexis – are you all right?" he asked anxiously.

"….The smoke…" she managed to speak after another spasm of coughing. "It's getting heavier. Coming in through the vents…" she started coughing again, this time uncontrollably.

"Alexis, listen to me!" Sonny said. "Don't try to talk. Is there a window?"

"It's blocked…." Another spate of coughing kept Alexis from talking for a moment. When next she spoke, the smoke had thickened her voice. "You've got to get us out of here. He's hurt… I don't know how badly, but he needs medical attention."

Who? Nikolas and Sonny looked at each other….who else had been captured with Alexis? It really didn't matter. He had to get Alexis out. "Hold on, Alexis. We're right outside the door." He turned to Stan and his worry made his voice a near-snarl. "Open it, Stan. Now!"

Stan nearly slammed the laptop screen down. He jerked the connections loose and stowed them in the backpack, then pulled out a second container. "There's one sure way to blow that lock." He opened the smallish container and displayed a small shapeless mass of plastique.

"C4 explosive." Luke said approvingly. "There's something to be said for doing it the old fashioned way."

"Tell Miss Davis to get as far away from the door as she can." Stan said to Sonny.

Sonny relayed that to Alexis. "Can you do that?"

"Yes…yes…. There's another room. Can you take the walkie-talkie with you so we know that you're clear?"

"There's no walkie-talkie here, just an intercom on the wall." Alexis told him. She bent down and tried to rouse Stefan; he murmured incoherently, trying to rouse himself into consciousness.

"How long will it take you, then?" Sonny asked. He looked to Stan, who held up two fingers. Two minutes, he was telling him.

"Most of the room crashed down when the explosions started. It's going to take few minute to climb over everything." Alexis answered.

"Stan can give you two- is that enough?"

"It will…will have to be. The smoke is getting worse…" her voice was getting raspier and raspier by the moment and she was coughing between her words… "…won't be able to…to breathe…"

"Hold on, Alexis… baby just breathe!" Sonny told her. "Get away from the door – get behind whatever you can! Stan is going to blow the door!"

"All right…give us two minutes." Alexis said. There was silence. Sonny had thought she was gone, but then Alexis' voice came back online. "And Sonny...no matter what happens… thank you for coming for me." She hesitated; her voice dropped to a near-whisper, so soft and quiet that for a moment, Sonny wasn't even sure he'd heard her. "I love you." Without waiting for his answer, she was gone.

Sonny turned back to the door. Stan, with Luke's help, were finishing up molding the plastic explosive and wiring the explosive into place. The others had already retreated down the hall. Sonny, Luke and Stan ran to join them, ducking around the corner of the hall.

Stan began the countdown…


	107. Chapter 107

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED SEVEN**

The explosion rocked the hallway, only adding to the chaos surrounding them. Sonny was the first one up and running back towards the ruined door shouting Alexis' name even as he jumped over the remnants of the door. He jerked to a halt just inside the threshold. All around, he saw nothing but destruction and all that came to him were visions of disaster. What if she'd been unable to get far enough away? What if she were underneath the rubble? He looked down and started snatching at pieces of broken furniture, shouting her name.

He was only dimly aware of other hands besides his, of other voices calling her name. Until he heard the only other voice that mattered.

"Sonny…Nikolas?"

Both men froze, their heads jerking up at the sound of her voice. Standing there, hearing nothing but the sound of her voice, only then did Sonny see the doorway almost totally buried behind debris. "Over there!" he shouted, pointing at it. Seconds later they were tearing down everything that was blocking the door. Scrapes, cuts, bumps, scratches and bruises – none of it mattered a bit. Then everything was suddenly gone and Sonny was throwing open the door. This inner room was in less disrepair; the only thing really out of place was the bed. It had been dragged from the wall and turned on its side. As he stared at it, one slender hand groped its way over the side.

And then he saw her. Face dirty and dust streaked, and never looking more beautiful to him than right at this moment. Their eyes met and then their bodies. Without knowing or caring how it happened, he was kneeling besides her and holding her in his arms, gripping her so tightly, swearing to himself that he would never ever let her go again.

And Alexis let herself be gathered into his arms. She closed her eyes, scarcely able to believe that she wasn't dreaming, that this was real; that his voice, his smell, his touch was real, and not just another hopeless dream. She lifted her eyes to his and then felt his lips on hers and knew for certain that this was no dream.

"This is touching…real touching, but we might want to think about continuing this back in PC." Luke said, after clearing his throat slightly to get their attention. "You know, what with Wyndemere burning down around our ears and all…." His gaze shifted and his words trailed into silence.

Behind him, Nikolas' eyes followed his and even underneath the smoke and grime on his face, he paled. "Uncle!"

Only then did Sonny notice the figure lying on the far side of the bed. Stefan…he was alive. His shock was mirrored on his face. He had thought Alexis' brother was dead because of him, but there he was. He watched as Nikolas rushed to Stefan's side and tried unsuccessfully to wake him.

Alexis leaned heavily against him. "It was all Helena's doing. She wanted us to think he was dead. But he's hurt…I don't know how badly but I know it's bad; we have to get him out of here and to a hospital."

"I brought help." Nikolas said. "We just have to get to them."

"Never thought the day would come when I would rescue a Cassadine." Luke said. "Present company excepted darlin'."

Despite her worries, Alexis couldn't help but smile, even if it were only a little tiny one. Luke grinned back at her before turning to the others. "All right boys and girls, let's see if we can't rig up a temporary coffin for the Count of Darkness and get to going."

While Max and Stan cleared a path from the rooms to the outer door, Luke and the others quickly rigged together a stretcher from the bedposts, blankets and whatever else they could find and had fastened Stefan into it. They made their way into the hallway, only to be met with the sight of the fire cutting off the way they had come.

"Follow me." Nikolas said. He turned and went in the opposite direction.

"Boy ain't nothing thataway but the tower…and we ain't trying to go _up_ – ya know? Down – we want to go down."

"You don't know everything about Wyndemere, Luke." Nikolas told him, not without a small bit of satisfaction. "I've had a few renovations of my own put in. In case of…fire."

"Fire exits." Luke said, disgustedly. "I'm stuck in a burning castle with a Cassadine Boy Scout. Well – lead on."

Nikolas took them to the end of the hall then halfway up to the next level; he halted them and pressed a series of stones in the wall. A draft of welcome cool air blew into their faces.

"This leads straight down to the stables. I thought it might come in handy – just not this soon."

As they made their way through this set of tunnels, Sonny kept on arm around Alexis. She seemed to be all right, or as all right as she could have been after being kidnapped and almost trapped in a burning building. She must have felt his eyes on him, because she turned and smiled at him. "I'm fine. It's Stefan I'm worried about."

Nikolas came up on her other side as she began to explain how she'd found him alive, how Helena had kept him drugged and helpless and how Stefan had managed to fight back in his own way. "But he was hurt when the first explosions happened." She said, looking back to where the other men carried him, still unconscious. She turned to Nikolas. "But you said you brought help?"

"I didn't know what I was walking into, since no one saw fit to keep me in the loop." Nikolas said. "But knowing Helena's involvement, I didn't think coming in with an army of cops would do any good. The logistics of them putting together some sort of force would have taken too long, and then there was the issue of trying to go head to head with Helena – knowing that she had you. I didn't want to take the chance. I figured on being able to talk to her and reach a compromise…. I also took a chance that small and swift would be better; so I made a few calls and came as soon as I could."

"You did the right thing." Alexis assured him. "You made decisions and stuck to them. And you saved us both." She lifted her hand and touched him tenderly on his cheek. "I can't think of a single face that made me happier to see tonight."

"Can't you?" Nikolas smiled back at her, his eyes sliding to Sonny's face and back again. "We'll be out of here soon."

And true enough, not long after, they were moving through the stables and out, at last into the night air. They all drew deep breaths, relieved to be out in the fresh air at last.

"Just a little further." Nikolas told them. He led them to a small cove, away from the main docks. A small boat was waiting for them. As they approached, several men came running off to meet him.

"Your Highness, is everyone all right?" one of them asked. "Shall we implement the second part of your plan?"

"Yes, have the launches with firefighters landed… and get the medical squad on alert, my uncle is seriously hurt."

The man saluted then turned and began barking out orders.

Stefan's makeshift stretched was brought on board first, Alexis and Sonny next and the others behind. Nikolas remained on the docks giving a few last orders to his men. A second group of people came above deck and met them, most of them gathering around Stefan's unconscious form. A gurney was brought forward and as the medics began their work, one was heard to gasp his name.

"Stefan…oh my God, Stefan, you're alive!" And miraculously enough, the sound of her voice caused Stefan's eyes to flutter open…

"Barbara?" His voice was papery-thin, but unmistakable.

"We stabilize him, and then we move him." Bobbie told the others. Then she too went to work, smoothly triaging him and working in perfect concert with the other med techs with her. Even as she worked, her eyes glistened. "Yes, Stefan, it's me. Nikolas called me and told me I might be needed…but he never told me that you were involved."

"He… did not know. Thanks to my murderous mother…" Stefan said. "But what is this I see?" With a great effort, he reached up and touched her cheek. Bobbie hadn't been aware of the tear trickling down her face until he wiped it from her cheek."

"Stefan, please…don't exert yourself any more than you have to. You need your strength. I thought you were dead, but you're not. I can't loose you again."

"Lose me? Is that what you feel after all this time – loss?" His answer was in her eyes. "We have a few…things to discuss, then." He gasped as they probed at his wounds, his eyes clenching shut against the pain. "Hurts." He grunted. He opened his eyes again. "Alexis...she is well?"

Bobbie flicked her eyes in Alexis' direction. "She's standing right over there with Sonny Corinthos and as far as I can tell, she's just fine."

With an effort, Stefan turned his head to see for himself. His eyes traveled over Alexis' face and he tried for a smile.

Alexis tried her best to answer his smile with one of her own, but her lips trembled. At last, his eyes closed and Alexis sank gratefully into Sonny's arms. There was a bench fastened to the deck and Sonny eased them both down. Sonny cupped her face in his hands, unable to stop himself from touching her.

"We should get them to look you over."

She reached up and covered his hands with her own. "I have all I need right here." Alexis said as she shook her head. "And they don't need the distraction. Stefan needs their total concentration." Besides, if they examined her right now, they'd be sure to find out what she already knew. And this was not the way she envisioned telling Sonny about their baby.

Their baby. A part of her couldn't wait to tell him. But not now – not like this. Helena was gone and she was back in his arms where she belonged.

All of the tension seemed to leave her body and with it, all of her strength. Her eyelids were suddenly so heavy….she couldn't fight the compulsion to close them. Alexis shifted so that she could lay her head on Sonny's shoulder. She was vaguely aware of someone putting a blanket around her shoulders. "I want to go home."

Sonny had closed his as he felt her head come to rest on his shoulder. "No, at least let's go over to GH and let a doctor look at you."

"No. I want to go home. The only place I'm interested in going to is Harborview Towers, the penthouse floor. I want to sleep in my own bed." She lifted her head to look at Sonny. "And I want to be with you."

"Don't you know I would – will give you anything in the world you want…" he began…

"Don't you know that you already have?" Alexis interrupted him, laying long slender fingers against his lips. He kissed the tips of each one and she reveled in the touch she had once thought she'd lost forever. "You've already given me everything I could possibly ever want. Take me home please...Sonny…please…" She wanted so very badly to tell him, to share with him.

In the end, Sonny gave in, but not without a condition of his own. If Mohammed would not go to the mountain, he quoted at her, then the mountain must come to Mohammed. He made a few phone calls and got one of the doctors to make a house call to the penthouse.

He paced the floor downstairs while the doctor made her examination. Finally he heard the bedroom door open and close and Dr. Lee came downstairs.

"How is she? Is she all right? Is anything wrong?"

"Don't worry Mr. Corinthos, Miss Davis is fine. She's understandably exhausted considering the ordeal she's just been through. But I don't see any reason for her be in the hospital. Keep her well fed and well-rested and ask her to come to in for a more thorough check-up as soon as she feels up to it." Dr. Lee headed for the door. "Oh, and you might want to go upstairs." She said with a smile. "She's very eager to see you."

Sonny thanked her and then he was up the stairs, taking them two at a time. When he got to her door, he hesitated, suddenly nervous somehow. He knocked.

"Sonny? Come on in." he heard her say.

Alexis was tucked into bed. She'd taken a shower before the doctor had arrived; Sonny could smell the sweet fresh scent of gardenias as he came closer and sat on the edge of the bed. She looked wonderful, but still very tired.

"Do you want anything to eat? I can fix you something real quick."

Alexis reached for one of his hands and captured it between her own. "No, I'm fine. I'm just so tired; I could sleep for a week."

"Sounds like a plan. I'll put Johnny and Max on the door and a do not disturb sign on the door."

"I did promise Dr. Lee to come into the hospital as soon as I got a good night's sleep. I explained that that wouldn't happen if I was away from you tonight." Alexis smiled, her heart all aflutter, trying to find the words to tell him her wonderful surprise.

"You should have gone in and stayed overnight at least. I would have stayed with you." Sonny said. _I'll never leave your side again_ he swore to himself silently.

"No, I had to be here. It had to be here and nowhere else. I wanted to share this and the hospital was no place to do it."

"Share what, Alexis?" Sonny's heart turned over with a small start of fear. "What happened to you in Wyndemere? What did Helena do to you?"

"She didn't do anything…except to tell me something that I didn't know. That I didn't expect. Not in a million years."

"What was it?"

She held onto his hand, trying to find the words. "I didn't plan on any of this…" she said slowly. "Not on you and the friendship that we found, or on our friendship turning into something more.."

"Not something more, Alexis - into _love. _Alexis." He gripped her hands with his. "I love you. Don't you know that by now?"

"Yes." Alexis said, her voice dropping softly as her eyes filled with tears. "And I love you… so even though Helena had me terrified, it was the love that I knew you and I shared that gave me the strength to stay strong until I could get back to you. I still had you with me. A part of you was with me even when I was at my most loneliness." She took his hand and slid it gently down to her abdomen. "I was never really alone."

Sonny listened to what she was saying, not sure what he was hearing. But then his eyes fell on her hands and his, resting on her stomach. He took a sharp breath as the knowledge burst inside him like a sunburst coming from behind dark clouds, dazzling his senses.

"Alexis?" he asked, the one word filled with wonder.

He raised his eyes to hers, surprised to see them spilling over with tears. He felt his own eyes sting and burn and then they were laughing and crying together all at once. Sonny swept her into his arms, raining kisses across her face, hearing the total joy in her voice and knowing it matched his own.

Joy. That was something neither of them had counted on in this life. Happiness was a fleeting thing. But joy…joy was a thing that lasted forever. Sonny was suddenly sure that they were on their way to that.

Forever. Starting now.


	108. Chapter 108

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED EIGHT**

There was a knock at the door and she was half-way minded to just ignore it. But whoever it was, they wouldn't stop. Finally, she flounced out of her seat on the couch and stalked to the door and flung it open, ready to give whoever it was a big piece of her mind.

But at the sight of Jax standing at the door, Carly couldn't find a single word to say. Ever since the night he and Jason had shown up to free her from Helena's yacht, she hadn't wanted to see anyone. Instead, she'd holed herself up in Bobbie's apartment and lived off of pizza and reality tv, letting it all numb her mind so she didn't have to think about what she'd done…or worse yet, what she'd almost done. People could have died because of the scheme she'd gotten herself into.

She refused to face that. But Bobbie had taken her in, no questions asked and a finite amount of sympathy. Tonight had been the end of it. Her mother had told her it was time to start living again. People make mistakes, some more than others. But you had to pick yourself up, look around and see what else was still standing. "You have the choice, Carly. Stand up and face your mistakes. Make it right – apologize when you're wrong – to yourself if nobody else…" There'd been a certain gleam in her eye and Carly got the feeling Bobbie wasn't talking just about her. "You've got to be willing to start over sometimes. And try and do it right the next time around."

But how could she do it right? She couldn't even bear to face Jax, let alone apologize to him. Even now, her eyes traveled everywhere, anything to keep from having to look him in the eye.

"I just stopped by to see how you were doing." Jax said. When she didn't answer, he continued. "And to ask when you were coming back to work?"

"Like you want me back there." Carly said.

"Do you want to come back, Carly?" Jax asked.

"Yes!" she burst out impetuously as her eyes flashed up to meet his. Just as quickly they fell again. "But…" Here it came – the hammer was about to fall. Jax just came to deliver the news in person. And her stupid jealousies had cost her big-time once again. She didn't catch what he was saying as he was saying it, but eventually it came through and she lifted shocked eyes to him again.

"No buts…" Jax was saying. "I never told you not to come back. You made that choice yourself. Did you quit? Did you?" he had to repeat the last question.

"No, I didn't quit…but you still want…?" What did he still want? Carly went breathless with not knowing, not daring to hope.

"I'm not blind to what you've done, Carly. Not at all. But are you ready, once and for all, to let your old life go? There's a brand new life waiting for you. All you got to do is take that first step forward into it."

He wasn't offering absolution, but he was offering her a chance to have a life. A real one. One of her own. "I don't know. I mean, I can't promise you that I will never make another mistake…."

"And I don't expect it. All I want from you is honesty. Even if you think I won't like what you've got to say or what you've done. Can you do that?"

Carly ventured a smile. "Even if I tell you I can't stand that tie that you're wearing? Tell me you weren't going to wear that to the Club tonight."

"I have a selection at the office. Why don't you come down and pick one out for me. Of course, your attire for the evening could stand some improvement – don't tell me you were going to wear that to the Club tonight? Come now, Princess, you have a reputation to maintain."

Was that a grin blooming on Jax's face? At the sound of her old nickname, Carly felt one spreading foolishly across her own and couldn't stop it. No, truthfully – didn't want to.

"Come on in and give me fifteen minutes to get ready." She told him and went rushing up the stairs, her heart flying before her.

* * *

Alexis and Sonny walked towards the Port Charles lobby restaurant doors. While Sonny handed the coat-check ticket to the hostess, Alexis called another hostess order and asked about her to-go order of a chocolate-drizzled New York Cheesecake and fresh strawberries. She knew she was going to have to ease back on her cravings, but she figured she had plenty of time for that. She smiled down at her stomach. _Little one, as long as you don't have me eating peanut-butter and banana sandwiches, or pickles and ice cream, we'll get along just fine._

She turned one last time to wave back at their table. Stefan inclined his head in acknowledgement, smiling at her. He was had bit less aloof than usual, no doubt due to the fact that Sonny had played in his rescue but probably even more so due to presence of Bobbie Spencer at his right hand. Since that night on Wyndemere, she had barely left his side. And tonight the two of them had hardly been able to keep their eyes off of one another since she had arrived at the restaurant.

Nikolas and Kristina were seated side by side and they were sporting identical grins as they waved back at her. Luke had been invited, but had sent his not-so-regrettable regrets that he was unable to attend. It was just as well. Dinner had gone better than Alexis could have hoped for. Both Stefan and Sonny had done their best to keep their conversation to neutral subjects and had even managed to behave as though they were enjoying themselves.

"Did I thank you for being on your best behavior tonight?" Alexis asked him, a teasing laugh in her voice.

"You noticed, did you? Does that mean I get a reward?"

For an answer, she leaned forward and kissed him, not caring at all who might be watching.

"Mmmmm….Thank your brother too." Sonny said, laughing out loud himself. "I think your brother is unbending towards me just a little bit." He said as he held her coat out for her. As she slipped her arms into the sleeves, he took the time to slip his hands over her shoulders and held her close, both of them enjoying his warmth and the closeness. "Did I detect approval in his eyes?"

"He knows what you mean to me. And above all, Stefan wants me happy."

"Well, we agree on that. The only thing I want to do is to make you happy. In fact, I have plans to do exactly that."

"You have plans?" Alexis lifted an eyebrow at him as they stepped outside.

"Could be, Councilor."

"Well, what if I told you that I do too?"

Sonny grinned. "Then I'd say we're in for a very interesting evening."

They looked at each other and laughed. Oh things were definitely going to interesting. There was magic in the air. Alexis could feel it when she looked into Sonny's eyes. And she could tell that he felt it too.

Johnny drove up in the car; jumping out to come around and open the door.

"Sonny, could you see about my cheesecake?" she asked.

"Not a problem." He said. He brushed his lips against her cheek and went back inside.

"Maybe we should get some biscotti and cappuccino to go with that…" she mused.

"We both know you've got chocolate on that cheesecake, so as far as the biscotti and coffee…well… we may want to start watching our caffeine intake." Johnny said.

"I get the feeling I'm going to be surrounded my fussy nannies for the rest of my term." Alexis laughed. As Johnny opened the door for her, she touched him on the arm. "Are our bags packed and in the car?"

Johnny nodded; a delighted light in his eyes. "The plane is waiting on the runway and the hotel reservations are confirmed."

"Wonderful – I can't wait to see the look on his face when I surprise him with this." Alexis smiled, satisfied, as she settled herself into the back seat. She was putting her fee from Jax to very good use. A luxury suite in one of the finest hotels in Chicago… luxury she intended for the two of them to put to very good use.

Sonny emerged from the lobby, cheesecake in hand.

"Everything good to go, Boss?" Johnny asked, knowing from the bounce in his step and the light in his eyes that everything was _more_ than okay.

"You know it, Johnny-Boy. Is the sparkling cider in the back?

"On ice in a silver bucket, along with two crystal champagne glasses."

"Perfect. I can't wait to the look on her face when I surprise her." Sonny laughed as he got into the backseat along with Alexis.

Yes, Johnny said to himself as he headed towards the airport. These two, they were almost too smart for each other in some ways, but they were smart enough to know they belonged together.

He laughed again. Her with her trips, and Sonny, well… he heard the two of them laughing and he allowed himself another chuckle as well. Alexis thought she'd surprise Sonny. She didn't know it yet, but Sonny had his surprises for tonight too.

Over time, these had become two of his favorite people and he was glad to see them go for the happily ever after thing. All things considered, it ought to make for an interesting marriage. He wondered what day they would settle on for the wedding. He figured it would be soon. After all, he'd helped pick out the ring. And like he'd said all along; it was about damn time.

_**finis**_

To my readers: My many manythanks and much gratitude to all of you who kept on reading and reviewing! for all the time it took for me to write this story... I want you to know that it meant a lot to see the ones who have stuck by me all this time continue to post...I hope you enjoyed this fic as much as I enjoyed writing it. And btw - another sexis fic is in-progress - hopefully it will not be another epic. : )


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